The Eternal Knot: Interwoven
by freaknweird651
Summary: SEQUEL To 'The Eternal Knot'. Sesshomaru has a lot on his plate: an annoying brother, six children, and a dragon yokai hellbent on the destruction of the Foo-Dog Tribe. But when a certain hanyou starts acting strange, will Sesshomaru be able to force the truth out of him? Warning: InuxSess and probably mpreg so yeah.
1. Chapter 1

This is a sequel to The Eternal Knot. If you haven't read that one already please do so ! :)

Diaozuan: Sesshomaru's mate and the father of Toshi.

Toshi: A Daiyokai fox kit. Toshi and Katsu were in the same litter, but had different fathers. Father: Dioazuan and mother: Sesshomaru.

Katsu: A Foo-Dog pup. Father: Inuyasha. Mother: Sesshomaru.

Ame: A Foo-Dog Daiyokai pup(female). Born from Inuyasha and Kagome. Kagome died during childbirth to bring her into the world.

Inukezi: a quarter demon, eight years old. Inuyasha and Kagome's first born son.

Tiao-Wen: Sesshoaru's bodyguard, a lower ranking demon.

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It was all right, for a while.

He was almost as enchanted with her as he had been with Kagome. But something was missing. Inuyasha had tried pinning down the feeling but it was as elusive as smoke. Her eyes were as bright as her personality and should have swallowed up any doubt in his mind of how perfect they were for each other.

And unlike Kagome, her patience was as deep as a river. He reminded her more of Kikyo, but Kikyo had many walls up.

This girl was an open book. Her laughter; her tears were all genuine.

And yet.

He'd never gone farther than kisses with her. Though he'd toyed with the idea of bringing her to the Palace permanently it never seemed to come about. He also had not introduced her to the pups: he felt Inukezi wouldn't appreciate that until Inuyasha was a bit more sure of the relationship.

And at the moment, he was quite unsure.

He should have been content: he was constantly restless.

He should have been enamored: instead, he felt as if he was pushing something that simply wasn't meant to be.

He should have been happy.

He was desperate, dry-mouthed, and discontent. A flower of emptiness and want was blooming in his chest as it never had before and he couldn't understand why.

Inuyasha sat on one of the thatched rooftops of one of them many huts in the human village. His fingers tapped out a rhythm-less pattern on the thick straw, claws a pale silver in the moonlight.

The hanyou would have to return home soon to his pups. But he had about another half-hour before then.

His hand went to the mark on his neck: a beautiful blue crescent moon courtesy of his brother. From their connection, he could tell that for once Sesshomaru was asleep, his consciousness muted and soft.

 _Good. He's resting for once in his goddamn life._

The hanyou thought to himself and rubbed the back of his neck.

It had something to do with Sesshomaru, he knew that much. He didn't care what his brother thought: that's why he'd gotten involved with the human in the first place.

But if he didn't care, then… why?

Why did these feelings keep returning?

For instance: a week ago. Diaozuan and Sesshomaru had shared a light kiss in front of him. No big deal, they'd done it before.

And they were pretty good about not getting too hot in front of the hanyou or the pups.

Yet it had sent Inuyasha into a foul mood all day, to the point where he'd had to run for miles and sweat out the feeling, finally returning to the Palace at an obscene hour of the night.

Maybe he was disgusted by it?

That wouldn't explain the initial reaction though. Disgust wasn't what filled his chest: he wouldn't be agonizing over it on a rooftop at midnight if it was.

It was anger.

Anger was one of his favorite emotions because it hid more embarrassing emotions like fear and love.

Yet it was completely misplaced in that scenario. Why did he give a damn who was doing what? Sesshomaru and Diaozuan could do whatever they wanted. Hell, they should be able to bang right in front of Inuyasha and the only thing he should be feeling is disgust.

He gave an irritated sound and ran a hand through his own hair angrily.

Those touches.

The lips on his forehead. The arms around him, encircling him completely. The swipe of Sesshomaru's locks on his forearm, tickling the hairs there, white and pale as the fuzz on a peach.

It had been weeks… no, months, since any of those things had happened. Each incident themselves had been weeks if not months apart.

Yet the sensation of him lingered, just under Inuyasha's skin.

Burning. Hot and cold at the same time.

Haunted. That was the word he was looking for. He was haunted by those innocent gestures.

If only it would go away.

"Inuyasha?" She called to him from the ground and he huffed, crossing his arms and looking away.

"Yeah what."

"Don't you want any dinner?"

He scoffed, " I'm fine, I went hunting earlier. 'Sides, I can't run home very well on a full stomach." She shrugged her shoulders and went back inside. The village people had accepted her well enough when they learned of her miko powers and her healing abilities. She already had many human friends and Miroku and Sango had welcomed her with open arms.

He scratched his arm where Sesshomaru's hair had swiped him, hoping to get rid of the sensation.

 _There must be something wrong with me._

He thought. If he was patient, he could shake these feelings, he was sure. Shake them and live happily with the new Kagome and have everything turn out just fine.

 _Right?_

He had to believe that. Because examining the connection any further was a place he didn't wish to go. Because the further he reached in, the less he would be able to draw back.

Better to keep certain curtains closed, he thought.

Shippou came and sat next to him. The kit was beginning to come into his own, and was finally growing, reaching Inuyasha's hip if he stood at full height. His tail had become less of a poof and more similar to Koga's tail, though of course much fluffier.

His illusions and strength had also improved, though Inuyasha could still beat him hands down in hand to hand combat. He'd even bought a new kimono for himself: greens and golds, with a leaf pattern on the sleeves and collar.

The little yokai clung to him whenever he arrived at the village lately.

Inuyasha had a sense that he was beginning to feel the mortality of Sango and Miroku and their children and was unsure what to do as he aged slowly and the humans raced ahead.

If Shippou asked, he would take him back to the Palace. But for now he would let him stay in the village with his adopted family.

"What do you want runt." He growled, his ears pinning back. Shippou leaned in and sniffed him, his little nose wiggling, and Inuyasha leaned away with another growl.

"You smell…different. And you never did tell us why you got those marks on your cheeks." Shippou huffed, his tan tail giving an irritated flick. The little yokai then reached over, moving Inuyasha's hair aside and gasping when he saw the mark on his neck.

He was so surprised that he toppled off of the roof and into the bushes below.

Inuyasha leaned over the side, half-irritated and half-concerned, " O-oi! Mind your own business you stupid kit!" as the little fox yokai yowled in pain.

When he was finished though, he looked up at the hanyou and stuttered, "Y-you…. You- I mean-with, what? Why? When? I mean of all yokai, Sessh-"

A clawed hand clapped over his mouth and the hanyou held the little yokai upside-down, snarling, "Now you listen here runt. You ain't telling no one what's on my neck, you got that? Or I'll shave this tail until you look more like a rat than a fox. Now, get!"

He tossed him lightly back into the hut, satisfied when he heard the surprised yelps from within and returned to the rooftop with his hair and fur all fluffed out in irritation.

 _Stupid runt._

He thought, looking up and then sighing in irritation as the heavens above cut loose.

He tucked his ears tight against his head. The rain was coming in sweeping waves, heavy and cold and intense. From here, he could see it bashing the rice fields like waves of the wind. Shrieks and irritated moans erupted from everyone still left outside as they rushed to their houses, even ducking in to a friend's home to escape the torrent.

The last time it had rained this hard, he'd been on the battlefield with Sesshomaru. The rain had slicked his mane down and around his face like a silver helmet. He would never forget the look on Sesshomaru's face when his evil bitch of a mother had come leaping up from the neitherworld.

The look on his face when Inuyasha had assured him that'd he'd fight her for an eternity to keep the pups safe.

He was the one going to the neitherworld first after all. The hanyou. The human blood in his veins ensured that he'd be the first one in the grave. But he was grateful. It would probably break him if he had to watch his pups die. He just hoped that Inukezi lived longer than he did... but he wasn't going to bet on it.

Kyoko peeked out from their reed curtain door, "Inuyasha! You're going to get sick!" and motioned for him to come inside.

He huffed and smirked, " Heh. I ain't as feeble as all of you. Sides. I'd better get going anyways. See ya soon."

And with that, he sped off beyond the trees and out of sight.

It took him longer than he thought to arrive back at the Palace. The rain soaked him through: His hakama and kimono and undershirt, all the way to his very skin. His skin itself became cold as ice, and when he rubbed his arms they felt like cool slabs of meat.

 _Hnh. Maybe I should have stayed._

He thought as he finally ducked under the back porch, nodding at Tiao-Wen the demon dog guard before entering their home.

Once in the main hallway he shook himself much like a dog would: on all fours, his hips going one way as his shoulders went the other. And he knew that he should have taken off his robes before going to sleep but he was too lazy.

It was only the next morning that he began to regret this decision.

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It was a weekend.

Diaozuan and Sesshomaru were surprised that Inuyasha wasn't with the pups bright and early, demanding to take them out hunting as he so often did.

"I'll take the pups and kits for the morning. You check on Inuyasha." Diaozuan hummed to his mate, nuzzling the purple markings on Sesshomaru's cheek lightly with his nose and earning a small hostile growl from the Daiyokai. The fox was large and tan, with dark purple hair and pretty red stripes on his cheeks. A worthy mate, as Sesshomaru had found out himself. And his choice of robes today complimented his figure nicely, which irritated Sesshomaru. The Lord of the West had paperwork to do, and that was difficult when his mate was so distracting and lovely.

The fox smirked. He was very much enjoying being back in his original male form. "Love you too." He whispered, earning a much larger growl and a crackle of magic from Sesshomaru's right hand as he sauntered off, still smiling.

Sesshomaru swept down the hallways, his tail lifting and wrapping over one shoulder as he knocked lightly on Inuyasha's door. He poked at their mental connection but the hanyou was blocking him out like usual.

Inside, Inukezi was the one who responded first. "Whose there?" His dad had been unusually grumpy so he'd decided to let the hanyou sleep in for once.

The hanyou groaned, "Sesshomaru. Go away." And pulled the thick red blankets over his head, tucking them tight enough so that his ears were pinned down.

Instead the Daiyokai opened the door and entered the room. "You're being unusually lethargic." Sesshomaru hummed, giving the little hanyou child a nod.

"How is he?"

"He's been really grumpy. I think he might be sick." Inukezi said, looking a bit shy around Sesshomaru as he always did. His green-yellow eyes flicked up to Sesshomaru before darting away again, respect for the Lord of the West clear on his face.

The lump became Inuyasha again as the hanyou sat up, spitting, " I'm right here you know! And I'm not sick! I don't get sick! I don't even know what that-"

His riveting and valiant speech was cut off by Sesshomaru's hand going to his forehead. Slim and cool. Long, delicate claws, clearer than his own, tickled his skin like icicles.

That touch again.

His ears went sideways on his head and trembled slightly. _Damn it_! He reached up to snap his hand away but he wasn't quick enough: the hand had already settled back in Sesshomaru's lap.

"You are boiling: you must have contracted a fever. Did you return in that awful storm last evening?"

Inuyasha's embarrassed silence was explanation enough. Inukezi gave him the 'I told you so' look, and then looked at Sesshomaru.  
"Hey. Can I help Diaozuan with the kits today? I'd rather be of some help than hang around with this one all day." He said, jerking a thumb at his dad who growled.

The Daiyokai was surprised and nodded, " If you'd like. I think I may care for Inuyasha myself than burdening Wumei or any of the other servants with him. Shockingly, I have negligible meetings today."

Inuyasha straightened up in alarm, "No! No, oh god anyone but you, even Diaozuan-"

And a glance from Sesshomaru's yellow eyes cut him off once more. " Perhaps if you suffer, you will learn that your actions have consequences. And think before returning in a torrent." He stood, his tail giving a few irritated flicks and said curtly, " I will return. Come, Inukezi."

Inukezi leapt gratefully out of the bed. Inuyasha tried, but staggered and had to hold on to the bedpost for support. He shook his fist at his son," Abandoning your old man in his hour of need! I see how it is!"

And Inukezi grinned, sticking his tongue out before disappearing around the door frame.

Inuyasha made it halfway down the hallway despite his burning fever before Sesshomaru returned.

He looked down at the struggling hanyou who growled at him viciously. Sweat was forming on his forehead and had soaked through part of his shirt. He could tell by the glaze in Inuyasha's eyes that he was tight in the grips of a strong fever.

"Pathetic." Sesshomaru whispered. That human blood. The source of his initial distaste for the hanyou. The source his mother and the other Daiyokai had told him was weak, disgusting. Impure. Now, that same human blooded Hanyou had occupied an area of his heart in a new way.

Before the hanyou had a chance to react he was picked up by the scruff and dragged back to his room. Sesshomaru closed the door with his foot and half-set, half-threw Inuyasha back onto the bed.

"Hey! Be careful I'm not some damn Daiyokai!" He barked then started to twist away when Sesshomaru's claws settled on his outer fire rat robe. The Foo-Dog looked at him impassively.

"You're going to overheat with both layers on. Unless you prefer I shred both of them, I suggest you remove this layer."

They had a short, hate filled staring contest.

"Fine. Whatever." Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders and Sesshomaru hung his robe up(which was still rather damp) in the corner of the room. Underneath Inuyasha had his usual cream colored undershirt with a sharp v-neck. Luckily his hakama pants were much drier, otherwise Sesshomaru would have made him change those as well. The Daiyokai cracked the window ever so slightly as well and took a few long breaths of the morning air. It was still raining, but it was the light showery rain that wouldn't creep into the room like the sideways rain would.

The courtyard was sparkling with color- everything was in bloom, and a rainbow of hundreds of different flowers blossomed, their scents tangling in the air. Dripping sweet nectar. Gods, he wanted to go hunting.

But that would have to wait. Sesshomaru had returned with a bowl full of icy water and a small washcloth.

As he soaked it and then wrung it out to optimum dampness the hanyou griped, "Damn. If this was a cold I'd just make my own stupid remedy. Doesn't Tian have anything that cures fevers?"

Sesshomaru looked slightly amused. Even the snake doctor could do little to help the average cold or virus." Oh yes. Rest and fluids. And bland foods. Now, look up." Inuyasha began to bristle, " Don't order me around damn it-" and a very cool cloth was promptly slapped across his forehead.

"Oww!" He whined and Sesshomaru almost rolled his eyes. He was grateful he hadn't made Wumei look after the hanyou. The cat nursemaid was a bit of a pushover sometimes. She wouldn't have even gotten him to remove the top half of his stupid robes.

"Go to sleep."

"How do you know how to take care of fevers anyway?"

"Rin often had them. She was somewhat sickly, in the beginning." Sesshomaru answered curtly, not looking at the hanyou.

Inuyasha looked up in surprise and then out the window. Inukezi had gotten a fever before but Ame and Katsu never would and he was grateful. There was nothing worse than seeing someone you loved suffer and not being able to do a single thing about it.

He wondered if Sesshomaru had felt fear when she was sick like that.

Inuyasha looked out at the courtyard and sighed. Damn. It was too nice a day to get stuck in here. What he wouldn't give to be stretching his legs, feeling the icy slap of branches as he ran after a demon. Cutting it down, maybe even bringing it back for the pups to snack on.

"Can you leave? I can't rest when you're in here." He finally huffed.

Sesshomaru settled in a chair beside his bed, adjusting his kimono this way and that until the sleeves and sashes lay just so. " No. You'll start walking around pretending you're fine and then embarrass me by collapsing somewhere in the Palace, dazed with fever. Go to sleep."

"No. Damn you..." Inuyasha growled, leaned over and reached for his sword- Sesshomaru carefully picked it up with his tail and moved it to the other side of the room.

"Hey!"

"Inuyasha. If you do not choose to sleep, I may be forced to put you to sleep. Do we understand each other?" Sesshomaru said, his voice getting thin and sharp and icy. Promising a cold and consuming death to the one who shattered the surface.

The hanyou lay back from his prone position swearing under his breath and shifting around. This was the worst.

It wasn't all that long before Inuyasha slipped into unconsciousness.

Sesshomaru checked his fever and changed the cloth on his forehead periodically, sometimes placing it around the hanyou's neck or over his chest as needed.

It was nice to see him silent, for once.

Like this, he looked almost the way he had when he was small. The ears had grown, and so had the ego, but the general makeup remained the same.

The resemblance between Katsu and Inuyasha was spooky. At least, when he passed, Sesshomaru would always have Inuyasha by his side in one way or another.

He was handsome in his own ragged sort of way. Thick caramel skin, a shade or two lighter than Diaozuan's. Surprisingly generous lips for a male. Strong nose. Black eyelashes, unlike Sesshomaru's snowy white.

Sesshomaru looked left, then right. No one around.

One claw lifted to one of the fuzzy ears. The fur was thicker at the base, thinner along the inside. The fur inside the ear itself was thin and fluffy as cotton candy, while the fur of the outside was thick and smooth, somewhere between the texture of rabbit and weasel.

He traced the shape of it, and it shuddered, flicking backwards. Sesshomaru withdrew his claw quickly.

The face was fascinating as well. Since it was usually so filled with emotion he hardly ever got to examine it thoroughly.

In many ways, Inuyasha took after their great and terrible father more than Sesshomaru himself.

The set of the jaw, color of the skin. Shape of the eyes… even thickness of the brow.

In Sesshomaru, only the eyes, nose, and forehead echoed his father. The rest was finer, more delicate. More of his mother.

Yet, he liked to think that his personality at least was more similar to Inu No Taisho's than Inukimi's.

Inuyasha groaned in discomfort in his sleep and Sesshomaru rubbed that particular spot on one ear. The hanyou's face relaxed almost immediately. He wondered if the new Kagome had noticed that spot yet.

His fever went on for hours, up and down. Just when Sesshomaru hoped that it would finally break, it dipped down again and Sesshomaru would have to wipe away cold sweat. It was infuriating.

He was more grateful than ever for so many yokai children. He would never have to watch them go through this.

Yet.

The fever reminded him of Inuyasha's mortality and somehow, that brought a great pain to his chest.

Ironic. Considering he was the one who had nearly sent Inuyasha to an early grave so many times.

 _Maybe if you'd been like this… the way you are with Ame and Katsu… I wouldn't be such a fuck up._

His words rippled across Sesshomaru's mind and he massaged his own delicate neck, feeling as if he couldn't breathe suddenly.

Why did those words hurt?

Perhaps because caring for him like this is what he should have done all along.

He removed the washcloth again, dunked it in the water. He'd have to get more soon, it was starting to become lukewarm.

He shifted down a bit.

Inuyasha was asleep after all. He wouldn't remember. And he didn't know why, but Sesshomaru's yokai was shrieking in his ear to come closer, to comfort the hanyou somehow. It was making his heart pound and his hands shake.

Inuyasha's hand was moving in his sleep. Reaching out, going near Sesshomaru's. The Daiyokai almost flinched away in surprise, but decided to leave his hand there seeing what the hanyou would do.

The hanyou's hand found his own.

Very gently, slowly, he started to entwine their fingers. Sesshomaru was taken aback, and again, resisted the urge to yank his hand away. Inuyasha's hands were calloused around the thumb, and upper palm, just as his father's hand been.

The two hands couldn't have been much different. Sesshomaru's fingers were long, and delicate, and tipped with glittering thin claws. Inuyasha's were shorter, thicker, and his claws were wide with cruel, thick curves.

Their fingers entwined, and their palms met. Sesshomaru felt a squeeze, and squeezed back in amusement and a little disdain, almost rolling his eyes. So typically human. So needy.

"Sesshomaru." He heard, and lifted his gaze. But Inuyasha wasn't awake- his eyes still moved under the lids, but he seemed calmer now, even though he was still in the grip of fever.

"Don't." He heard Inuyasha mutter. But via their little connection, and the crescent moon on the back of Inuyasha's neck that marked the hanyou as his, he heard his thoughts faintly:

 _Don't go._

The Lord of the West's expression softened somewhat. He was surprised- well, a bit shocked really, that the hanyou wanted him near. Especially after his initial reaction to their bond. And when he was sick, and weak. But…

Perhaps this was a step in the right direction, for once. Diaozuan had said this mental bond would help them. And though he could rarely read Inuyasha's tumultuous mind, he was grateful for this tiny gift. His brother wanted him nearby, and for some reason, that pleased Sesshomaru.

 _I'll be with you. Until your last sun sets, Inuyasha._

This comforted Inuyasha, somehow. Sesshomaru felt his fingers and body relax. Soon, the hanyou gently removed his hand and turned to one side, trying to get a deeper sleep. Sesshomaru sensed the breaking of a fever, and some distress on Diaosuan's connection. So he silently left.

And when Inuyasha's fever broke, he was surprised to wake up to an empty room.

The scent of Sesshomaru was left behind on his forehead, and hand. The hanyou sat up slowly and stretched, turning to look out to the weak drizzles of rain, his whole body feeling weak and damp.

He took a few deep, grateful breaths of the cool air, a little glad that the Daiyokai had left the window open.

He glanced over at the chair Sesshomaru had been sitting in, ran a claw gently along the wood.

Still warm.

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Sesshomaru checked in on Diaozuan. He was shaken, but had to put that aside the moment that he approached the fox. He could tell something was wrong.

His shoulders were slumped, and his tails, normally high and tucked gracefully over his shoulder, drooped and spread flat on the floor.

He didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular: just out the window, the beautiful jeweled purple of his eyes muted and dark.

"Diaozuan? Are you well?"

The fox indicated a parchment on the dresser with a flick of one hand. Sesshomaru took it and read it quickly.

 _Diaozuan,_

 _On the third day of the fourth moon of this year, the eldest son to the Fox Tribe, Yao, heir to the Fox Tribe Palace and firstborn son of Sadao, Flame of the East, perished from poison of unknown origin. He is succeeded by his brother and the second-born son of Sadao, Diaozuan._

That first section was in a different handwriting then the second. This writing was thick, hasty, and the ink occasionally smeared the very word it was trying to express.

 _Son. I assume that you know what this means. I ask that you attend the funeral at the end of the month, and that you bring Toshi and the newborn kits with you to the Fox Tribe Palace. Assume that you will not be returning to the Foo-Dog Palace for some time._

 _I am sorry for this. But you are the heir to the throne now, and I will be stepping down soon enough. The people must see and trust that you will be able to handle the responsibility. And they will always want the appearance of you on the side of the foxes than the foo-dogs. Sesshomaru is our great ally, but I fear that our citizens are still mistrusting of him, which is why I request your stay to be longer than it normally would._

 _I greatly regret that this decision is laid upon your shoulders. I pray that I can get you back to the Foo-Dog Palace as soon as I can so you can continue to have your entire family around you._

Two signatures lay at the bottom: one must have been one of Sadao's generals, and the other was Sadao himself. The parchment as always was dotted with a drop of the fox's blood to show that he was indeed the one who had penned it.

Sesshomaru felt like he couldn't breathe. A light, irritating ringing began in his ears and he leaned heavily against the desk for a moment before stuttering, " You.. the kits, and Toshi? You all must go?"

"I will not leave you." Diaozuan snarled, and his tails writhed on the ground, puffing out silently like slowly inflating snakes.

"He cannot make me. You are my family and I will not leave you and the pups. I will not accept the throne. He may keep it as long as he likes." His hands were balled into fists, and from each one Sesshomaru could see a line of precious teal droplets of blood, each forming tiny puddles on the floor as his claws dug through the soft flesh of his palms.

Sesshomaru walked over to him and gently started peeling open one of his hands. He was tense at first, but then curious and allowed the Daiyokai to open his hand. When finished, Sesshomaru slipped his hand in Diaozuan's. Pale lily white contrasted with rich caramel as their fingers entwined, and there was a faint hiss as his blood came into contact with Sesshomaru's skin but of course he felt no pain.

He used that hand to pull the fox close to him. He slipped his arms around him, his claws digging into the soft black silk as he held the other tight to his own frame. Since they were nearly the same height he couldn't cradle him as he could with Inuyasha, so he settled for tucking his head to the fox's neck just underneath that curtain of hair.

"You must go." Sesshomaru did his best to keep the slight tremor from his voice, but it was there anyway.

"I will not." He growled, his tails bristling and writhing. They thumped against the floor, and the pens and vases in the room gave a little shudder.

Sesshomaru gave a kind of chuckle. " How is it that a fool such as you is equal to me in power. You will lose everything: your wealth, your Palace, your land. I am not worth-"

A finger was on his lips suddenly.

"Silence. You, and our children, are worth everything. Every hardship. Every sacrifice." He whispered, and the whites of his eyes held a slight teal tinge as his yokai writhed just under the surface.

Sesshomaru remained in stunned silence as two fingers cupped is chin, staring deep into the yellow depths of his eyes. It made him uncomfortable. It was as if Diaozuan could see all of him: everything that made Sesshomaru himself: good, cowardly, evil, ugly… vulnerable.

And loved every facet of him even more for it.

The fox could smell Inyuasha on Sesshomaru's hands. But he said nothing.

"What is land without kits to hunt across it? What are titles if they cannot keep me with the one I love? What use is this Daiyokai blood in my veins if having it means I'm obligated to be without you?" He whispered, his fangs overlapping his bottom teeth ever so slightly. Sesshomaru could feel his magic and demonic aura fluxuating with his emotions: the room felt denser, hotter.

The Foo-Dog hesitated for a moment as the beautiful words settled in his chest and made it suddenly hard to draw breath. The words touched his heart, but he knew he had to persuade the fox in the other direction… no matter how much his heart was telling him otherwise.

A good leader cared more about their people than themselves.

A good leader set aside their own ambitions, desires, hopes.

Sesshomaru set aside his freedom.

And it seemed Diaozuan's price was their family.

"If you reject the throne, it was cause immense suffering." Sesshomaru said quietly. "The Fox Tribe will be thrown into chaos. Relatives will come out of the woodwork just as they did to seize my throne. Not long after, wars will break out from their petty squabbling. The average yokai's sons, fathers will be drawn in and never return home. Children will starve.

You cannot justify your own happiness over the suffering of so many yokai-"

"Yes. Our happiness." He said as he looked down into his mate's eyes.

"I can justify it. I can feel your pain at the idea of my leaving with the kits. I would bear the screaming of hundreds if it meant I could keep seeing your smile…but I suppose that makes me a terrible candidate for the throne."

The fox murmured quietly and his eyes were wet as he finally whispered, "But… I understand it's the right thing to do. I just am loath to do it."

Sesshomaru met his gaze and held him like that for a long moment, just listening to his heartbeat and feeling the slow rise and fall of his chest. His mate. His life. The father and mother of their children.

"Sometimes the most correct decision is also the most painful." Sesshomaru muttered, thinking of Toshi and Katsu and bringing them into the world. He slipped his arms around Diaozuan, and rested his head on the Daiyokai's chest. The fox closed his eyes and savored the moment of affection for perhaps, it was one of few. Sesshomaru was not known for outward displays of affection, even after all these years.

He felt the fox's claws playing with his hair as he rested his head against that chest. Not once did those hard clear claws hit a snag through his silver mane.

The throne was Toshi's birthright. Diaozuan's as well. The fox had the audacity to throw that away but Sesshomaru did not for he feared the consequences. Wars begot wars. It wasn't entirely unlikely that a complete collapse of the Fox Tribe would lead to unrest in all territories.

This was all Rin's fault really.

From the time he'd seen her laying there on the dirt road, in a puddle of her own black blood he'd begin to think outside himself

And now, the circle was expanding ever outward. To the point where he could not tolerate the thought of another child like her, starving and beaten, and that the finger of fate could ultimately point to him as the cause.

His father's voice echoed back to him.

 _Have you not tired of killing?_

He gritted his fangs, felt then almost squeak from the strain. Sesshomaru kept his face hidden and his arms around the stupid fox as let the connection between them bloom, whispering in the Daiyokai's mind,

 _Flame of my heart, you must go. It is your duty. As this throne is mine._

 _A year. No more. That is more than enough time for them to accept your loyalty._

He felt such a fool for claiming that no one would threaten his family- yet now, he was letting the kits be carted away to the Fox Tribe Palace because of Yao's death. Who would have thought a little piece of paper held more power than an army. He felt like such a hypocrite.

But how could he put his own family on a pedestal if it meant tearing other families apart? And not just one, but potentially hundreds or even thousands.

Practical matters like this were once so easy. But now… now. Everything ached. His greatest asset was also the source of his greatest pain.

 _And also. Let another taste anything before it passes your lips, or the lips of our children._

Sesshomaru added, his eyes a fetid yellow. If Yao had been killed by an 'unknown poison' it was likely an assassination... And they might try to take our Diaozuan or the kits as well.

 _Of course. Not a hair on their heads will be harmed my love._

Those purple eyes burned but he held his gaze steady. Purple seemed such a tame term- they were that color as the sun sank, the most beautiful, luxurious fading light. Right now though it wasn't soft at all: the color was sharp and jagged, little violet and lavender shards ringing that black pupil.

But then, it softened just a bit and he touched their noses together, earning a content noise from the Foo-Dog.

 _You've never called me that before. I think I'd like to be addressed by that name from now on._

Sesshomaru colored, his lips pursing as he struggled to keep composure.

 _Never. I am already regretting uttering it even once._

He really hadn't meant to give Diao a pet name- it'd sort of slipped out. But when he thought of the fox there was always a flame of warmth in his chest so it seemed to fit.

He tucked Sesshomaru's head against his chest and rested his chin on the part of his hair.

 _Let me stay like this for a while longer, orchid. Please._

The Foo-Dog tensed at first: he always did. But the muscles in his back and torso gradually softened and he nodded, closing his eyes.

 _Very well._

And as he rested his eyes he felt a slight vibration coming from Diaozuan's chest: and realized soon after that the fox was stifling a purr.

Sesshomaru pretended not to notice and the sound grew, comforting him from the outside in. Their tails entwined silently on the floor as a beautiful braid of black and white.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

With Diaozuan's scent still on him, he went to collect Katsu. Now was as good of a time as any, and the pup needed to learn of her.

Sesshomaru's mother. Inukimi. It was time.

Katsu, Ame and Toshi were all with their instructor when Sesshomaru arrived: a dog demon like Sesshomaru, but a simple yokai. His tail peppered like his hair, silver and black.

"Katsu. Join me." He said simply, and the usually warm yellow of his eyes was a searing gold.

At first Katsu was happy to get out of his lessons, but soon grew curious and a little scared when Sesshomaru picked him up and they drifted silently through the barrier.

It felt faintly warm as they passed through.

Sesshomaru protected Katsu from the rain with his tail and sleeves until they arrived.

Her ribcage stretched to the sky like naked tree trunks, thick and curved and powerful. Water ran down them in thick veins and pooled at the bottom in crystal clear puddles. Some were so high even Sesshomaru could scarecely make out the tips.

"Are… are we going hunting?" Katsu asked softly.

Instead of answering Sesshomaru settled them next to her shoulder blade: it protected them well enough from the weak drizzling rain. Once he'd made sure the pup was warm and dry in his tail he simply asked, "Do you know who these bones belonged to?"

And looked up. Dampness covered his face and his voice was unusually low, not at all full of the happiness he held for all his pups.

Katsu squirmed uncomfortably. " I keep asking, but everyone just says 'Inukimi'. They don't tell me who she is. She's some demon that you defeated right?"

He looked down at his son, his expression grave. "She was my mother. I suppose I should start from the beginning."

And so, he told him everything. Of his transformation. Of becoming pregnant. Of how the scent of the father would soon emit from her own skin. Of his mother's fear of losing the throne or worse- of Sesshomaru giving birth to anything but a pure blooded Foo-Dog demon.

"But… But Toshi's a Daiyokai. Shouldn't that be good enough?" Katsu asked, confused.

He lay a hand on his head. " It should be. But since Inuyasha is a hanyou, it meant that no legitimate heirs were in line for the throne. The pup would have to be like you: a pureblooded Foo-Dog demon. Markings and all. Anything else would sully the line and bring disgrace to the family."

It was clear that the little Daiyokai was trying hard to understand but that he didn't quite grasp it yet. But that was all right. He simply went quiet and let Sesshomaru continue.

"And so, when the spell's effect wore off and she smelled Toshi inside of me, she went insane. Inukimi set her Yokai on me, and I was hardly in the optimum condition to fight."

Katsu seemed riveted but scared at the same time, " B-but were okay. Everything's fine."

He gently moved Katsu's kimono, folding it down so the silvery grey scars showed. Then, he pulled up his own kimono, showing the pup the marks on his abdomen.

Katsu got real quiet and touched them hesitantly, running his tiny soft claws over the marks. Sesshomaru could feel his tiny hands shake.

"They're the same. Then, then…" It was almost as if he didn't want to finish. The pups' eyes were slightly watery as he looked up at his father.

" She attacked me while you two were both still inside me." Sesshomaru finished for him, his eyes blank but his emotions raging. Even now, it was hard for him to calm himself down and he had to take a deep breath as he lowered his clothing.

"And that is why your name is Katsu. Because you survived."

The little pup suddenly started to cry. Sesshomaru picked him up and held him against his chest, growling softly and wrapping his tail over the pup's back. Clawed hands rubbed the tiny red and white kimono gently as he comforted his son.

" I am sorry. But you need to know the truth."

Now Katsu was hiccupping as he was crying and stuttered, " I-I… why? Why would she… we didn't do anything wrong! Toshi didn't do anything wrong, he's just a fox! He didn't have a choice. Nobody decides what they're born as!" and he sobbed harder. Sesshomaru could feel hot wet tears on his collarbone and chest and continued the gentle rubbing. He even leaned down, grooming Katsu's silvery hair with a few soft licks of a rough tongue.

"You are correct. But that did not matter to my mother. And I want you to be mindful that this world is full of great evil, just as it is full of forces for good. Like yourself." He whispered, running a finger down Katsu's silky cheek gently.

The pup smiled weakly, " I-I'm not good. I skip lessons and chase chickens and yell …"

He picked him up so their faces were even and whispered, " You are kind and brave. You protect your brother and sisters fiercely without regard for consequences. You are good in your soul-and that is the only trait that truly matters."

Katsu hiccupped a few more times weakly and then lifted his arms, making grabbing motions for Sesshomaru. Sometimes the Daiyokai forgot how young his pups still were.

He smiled slightly and tucked the boy to his chest once more, still rubbing his back. The rain beat a soundless, low noise into the bones around them. An eternal song.

He felt Katsu's breathing even out and eventually heard his tiny voice whisper, " Sess. I'm glad I'm alive and… with you… I love you."

It was so faint he had to hold his breath to catch it.

The killing perfection held his son even tighter and repeated those three words back, nuzzling his pup amid his mother's bones and thanking the heavens that it was Katsu who was alive in his arms and not the monster around them.

And what a strange sight it was: a regal yokai, pale maroon stripes on his cheeks and a crescent moon on his forehead, laying underneath something so rough and primitive with his silks and swords spread like a fan from his hips.

And in his arms a mewling and vulnerable pup. Life blooming among tombstones of death.

Katsu eventually cried himself out and Sesshomaru returned to the Palace, tucking the boy into bed after inspecting him to make sure he was dry.

Inuyasha was out and about. He had to get out of the room and wash his mouth of the strange taste. When he'd finished, he saw Sesshomaru stepping out of the kids room and his ears perked up a bit.

"Hey. Is he okay?" He whispered, his expression changing to one of concern as he saw the way Katsu's cheeks were flushed and how tired he appeared.

Sesshomaru looked at him impassively for a moment before murmuring, " I told him about Inukimi and the marks he bears."

The ears on the hanyou's head flatted out almost completely. "Oh."

 _Perhaps he would appreciate waking up with you by his side._

He added after a moment, giving the other a pointed look. Inuyasha blinked and swallowed before giving a slight nod.

There was a right parent for every comfort needed. And Inuyasha would perhaps, be the better choice out of the two of them when Katsu awoke.

Sesshomaru glided out of the way for his little brother and watched the hanyou as he crawled into bed silently, tucking himself around Katsu as quietly as any cat, his movements scarcely ruffling the bedsheets. Yet when he'd settled Katsu must have sensed him for he gave a small noise and rolled until he was against Inuyasha's chest.

And Sesshomaru felt a strange rush of affection for the hanyou when he saw the look in Inuyasha's gaze as he looked down at the pup.

Love in its purest form. That was what he read in that sunset gaze.

Sesshomaru stifled the emotion from their connection quickly and left the room, his heart beating strangely fast.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Please read and review! It helps my writing and motivates me to post more chapters.

Also, to those who read my last story:

Inuyasha16541:I know I apologize for the cliffhanger. But I hope that this makes up for it!

EatEmUp:Aww thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Gamma Cavvy: Yeah, you know I love me some complicated love triangles.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

The sky was a sick pink, the clouds heavy with rain. The air was full of static, and oppressive. A perfect climate, considering today was the day Diaozuan was leaving. His father had sent the dragon carriage, and it would be there in just in a few hours.

Diaozuan was packing. He didn't enjoy it one bit. He was used to going to war and packing for a few days. But what were you supposed to bring for something like this? Perhaps it'd be more productive to just pack like he always did, and assume most everything else would be taken care of once he got there.

Sesshomaru was in a meeting, like usual. Inuyasha even had a little time to himself, since Ame and the rest of the litter had finally started a few lessons. Reading, writing, the like. About the only thing that was sex-specific in regards to Ame's education was a little less swordfighting than the boys. She'd need her tongue more than she'd need her sword, if Sesshomaru's reign went the way he planned.

As Inuyasha wandered the halls, contemplating jumping the wall and going for a run, he saw Diaozuan. He was not surprised to see the fox packing- he'd more or less gotten a head's up from Sesshomaru soon after he'd shaken off the fever.

Inuyasha knocked on the door frame with a few knuckles, "Oi." And the fox turned, tilting his head a bit.

"Yes?"

Inuyasha sort of cleared his throat. How exactly, was he supposed to say goodbye? What the hell was his relationship with the fox, anyway? Without him, Inuyasha might very well be in a human village with Inukezi. Watching as others raised his precious Ame and Katsu, and being able to do nothing about it.

They'd raised their children together, side by side. And he hoped that when Diaozuan returned, they would continue to do so.

He owed the fox a great debt. The fox tilted his head a bit further, waving his hand as if to say '…and?'

Inuyasha blurted, " Well, I just wanted to say good luck with everything. You know. And that you get there safe." And then stood internally screaming. _That's it, you dumbass? He's leaving for a year, and that's all your oatmeal brain could come up with?_

The fox's seven black tails flicked on the floor, and a look of amusement crossed his face as he continued to pack. " Shall I give you another try at that goodbye now? Or, would you prefer to come back later?" He hummed, his voice low and deep and full of laughter, though of course he was too noble to actually start chuckling. It left slight goosebumps on Inuyasha's arms, and he huffed.

"No! That's it! Take it and be grateful!" He growled, crossing his arms and tucking them in under the fire-rat robe, tossing his hair a bit.

The fox closed the distance between them quietly, almost starting the hanyou. It wasn't nice that such a large man could move so silently. It was just like Sesshmaru. Inuyasha startled just a bit, recovered quickly, and gave a little growl when he felt something on his face.

A hand.

Diaozuan's hand.

His tails were arched all around the hanyou, delicately, thick black tendrils. Not touching him, sort of… cupping the air around him.

Yellow eyes widened. What the hell was happening? He went to move his head, but-

Lips. Oh, fuck, Diaozuan was kissing him.

Soft enough for him to jerk back, if he wanted to. But-

But-

Hmm.

His eyes were lidding, and- and he was kissing back. Just a little. Top lip, then bottom. Just a tad. No harm done.

His heart was racing.

Would Sesshomaru be mad? He didn't think so, considering how many times Diaozuan had thrown the idea of a threesome around. Inuyasha was always the first one to throw the idea in the trash, not Sesshomaru.

The kiss ended and Inuyasha stood in shock. Half-wanting to run him through with his blade. Half-wanting to lean back in for more.

Welp. He should've probably concentrated a bit more on these feelings, too.

Trapped in the infinite caverns of glittering purple and pink jewels that made up Diaozuan's eyes.

And all of the sudden, he understood exactly why Sesshomaru hadn't been able to push the fox out of his life, as he'd done with so many others.

"I think that's a much better goodbye, don't you?" The fox whispered, one side of his lips a tad higher than the other. A smirk. He was smirking. Inuyasha's face went red and his mouth opened,but for once, he seemed speechless.

And that was how Diaozuan left him, going to check in with Wumei and the kits back at the nursery.

Leaving a very confused hanyou in a glittering hallway of polished floors and carved ceilings.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Shippou sighed.

Something was wrong.

His time in this little group was ending.

He was inside his usual hut with Miroku and Sango. Inuyasha's girlfriend was there as well. The fire in the center of the hut was flickering softly, and created strange little shadows that crawled in comforting waves along the walls.

Shippou felt along his tail. The soft brownish red fur. His hands then moved to his feet. The way they were furred and jointed the same way a fox's hind legs would be. Human knees on top, but digitigrade on the bottom. Cool little pink pads. Tiny claws. Closing his eyes, he remembered his parents, and their soft nuzzles and licks.

He recognized the changes in his body. His eye color was changing, he'd seen it himself in his own reflection. Form the soft blue that nearly all Yokai mammals were born with to a grey. And soon, a mature yellow, just like Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. The pupils were beginning to slit slightly, as well.

It wouldn't be long, now.

He would have to leave them.

His eyes filled with tears as he looked at his human companions. His family, or so he'd thought. But it was becoming more and more obvious that he didn't belong here.

The taller he became, the more leery the other villagers were of him. They didn't like his tail, or his ears, or the fact that he was just so much stronger than the other children of his age.

Miroku's daughters were growing up too. It seemed like every day they were getting taller and … well.

He didn't want to be here to see them all grow old, and pass away.

Kaede even, was on her last legs. He didn't want to see it. He didn't want to see her go into the ground and then get joined my Miroku and Sango and everyone he loved. At least if he left, then… then he could pretend that they were all still alive somewhere.

He wiped the tears from his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. Maybe… maybe he needed to go, now. It was spring after all. He could hunt all summer, build some kind of shelter. He could do it !

And if all else failed, he could go find Inuyasha.

Shippou clambered to his feet. It was a surprisingly warm night. He grabbed an extra blanket, and slipped quietly out of the reed-woven door.

Following the moonlight, which to him, was as bright as the sun.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It was time.

After a brief discussion, Sesshomaru and Diaozuan decided it'd be best to keep Toshi at the Foo-Dog Palace. He understood why Diaozuan's father wanted him at the Fox Palace, but it was simply too dangerous. If something disastrous occurred and the foxes were wiped out, if Toshi stayed at least there would still be an heir to the Fox Tribe lands and fortunes.

Insurance, so to speak.

Finally, the two-headed dragon carriage pulled up on front of Sesshomaru's quarters. Four dragons, to be exact. Two a slightly blueish-green shade, and the other two soft earthy browns that reminded him of his own dragon.

Sesshomaru lived inside the inner court, but in a rather humble abode. He'd grown fond of it during his stay at the Palace, preferred it to the overly-extravagant quarters in the palace. It was about two stories tall: the roof was black, and the lines of the roof were triangular, the edges tilted slightly upwards. At the base were strong, thick pillars, the same red as the Palace walls. Ah-Un called out from the stables, and a few of the dragon's called back in interest, one of them sounding particularly flirtatious. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. Perhaps it was time he found his dragon a mate as well.

It wasn't long before Diazuan emerged with the kits, one per arm. All the other babies were gathered to wish him off… Inukezi, Ame, Katsu, and Toshi. The Foo-Dog pups were barely holding it together, but Toshi was visibly distraught, hugging his tail to his chest and biting his lip. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stood among them, patting heads and petting tails here and there in comfort.

Diaozuan went to Sesshomaru first, pressing a longer kiss than usual to the Daiyokai's lips and earning a warning growl from Sesshomaru. The Lord of the West then bent to say goodbye to his sweet fox kits- a little albino, and a one black as night, with opalescent markings.

The fox murmured, "Goodbye my beloved. I will take good care of Aki and Daiki ."

He assured, and probably said a few more things as well in private, for Inuyasha could see Sesshomaru's pale ears flush a bright red and his eyes become narrow and slightly watery. Diaozuan then turned to Inuyasha and the hanyou waved him off nervously, " Yeah yeah, yeah, just go already. Ugh. I hate long goodbyes." Inuyasha snarled, and Diaozuan smiled a little. He then picked up Toshi.

"Shh, shh. It's okay. You be strong for me, okay? I'll be back before you know it." He said , but the little kit just clung tighter. Of the three, he was the most kind, most gentle… and, most vulnerable. Soon Inuyasha had to gently peel him off, and the kit tucked himself to the hanyou's chest instead. He sighed, and Diao pressed a kiss to Toshi's hair, tucking it behind the shell of his ear.

Katsu suddenly interrupted, " We-we don't want you to go, Diaozuan! Stay!" and the others quickly swarmed the fox. " I cant, little ones. I just can't." He murmured. He said a quiet, secret goodbye to each one, leaving them with a tender hug or affectionate head rub. Sometimes both.

Toshi was heavy in his arms as the carriage pulled away, and he could feel the hot wetness of tears. But he said nothing. He and Sesshomaru shared a pained glance when the carriage turned the corner, and brought the children back inside, closing the cloth-screen door behind them.

The panels letting in lonely squares of light.

They let the children rest for a while before sending them off. Sesshomaru, pairing off with Ame and Katsu. Inuyasha pairing off with Toshi and Inukezi. When the tutors asked why the parents were there, both made simple excuses. It was better off that the exact date of Diaozuan's departure was vague, though of course some had probably seen him go.

It was a tough day, for all of them.

When it was finally time for bed, the pups couldn't sleep. After about three or four tries, Inuyasha became haggard and frustrated, while Sesshomaru's patience was worn dangerously thin.

The crescent moon throbbed on the back of his neck, and across Sesshomaru's pale forehead.

 _Hey._

Inuyasha sent tentatively, unsure how to tread with Sesshomaru. After all this time, he sometimes felt farther from the Daiyokai than ever.

 _They're not going to bed._

 _I know. I have an idea. How about we-?_

Inuyasha sent a picture of what he was thinking. There was a pause on Sesshomaru's end. And then a quiet, _I suppose it's worth trying._

The two Foo- Dog's carried their young into the living quarters. Yanking out all the blankets and pillows and stacking them in the middle, forming a kind of nest. A mess of patterns and colors, none matching. Both were too tired to care. The pups crawled around, sleepy but curious as to this new sleeping arrangement. Ame tugged at Sesshomaru's shoulder, her golden eyes wide and rimmed with tired purple.

"Sesshy, how come we're in here?" He scooped her into his lap, leaning back against the low table and stretching his legs a bit. His sword clanking a bit at his side. It was one of the few times he wasn't wearing his armor, and Ame seemed to enjoy that.

"We're all going to sleep together tonight. Now, who would like to hear a story?"

"Me." Said Katsu, his tiny face scrunched with seriousness. Ame and Toshi chirped an agreement as well, and Inuyasha arranged them just so, making sure each had a pillow and blanket. The moonlight made stripes across their faces, bringing out the glowing quality of the stripes on their faces.

Sesshomaru lifted his arm, rolling his kimono sleeve up to the shoulder. High up on his arm, just below the bicep was a tiny line. Almost as if he'd been injured there before.

Inuyasha blinked in surprise, giving Sesshomaru a look.

" Did you know, my arm used to end right here? All I had was this part. A little stump." Sesshomaru said quietly, and Ame and the litter gasped in surprise. A few crawled closer to touch the scar, while a few more hung back.

"I wasn't so kind, when I was in my younger years-"

"Understatement of the year." Inuyasha huffed, and Sesshomaru shot him a glare before continuing.

"Before all of you. I wanted my father's sword desperately, and I was willing to do anything to get it. Even harm someone who… perhaps, did not deserve it." Sesshomaru began.

And through the night, he told the litter the whole story. Inuyasha was surprised that Sesshomaru kept it so accurate, only taking out a few especially gory scenes as not to frighten them too much.

His eyes were a level, fetid yellow, framed by a froth of white lashes.

Hour by hour, the litter dropped off to sleep to the sound of Sesshomaru's soothing, low voice. It was like a river… over rocks, the occasional splash of a fish or gurgle of a tide… But overall, smooth and low. And when he was around them, there was a softness to his voice that Inuyasha rarely detected when he was at his meetings. Or heck, about half the time Sesshomaru talked to Inuyasha, or anyone else. No, those notes of warmth and calm were reserved for his children only.

Inuyasha's ears went up when Sesshomaru suddenly stopped. He blinked wearily and looked around, his own eyes full of the soft confusion that came from exhaustion. Then, he noticed it too. None of the litter was awake anymore.

Katsu was sprawled out on his tummy like he usually slept, quiet as a mouse. Ame was leaned against Sesshomaru, her swath of beautiful silver hair flowing over his arm like a glittering cloth. Toshi was tucked in the curve of Inuyasha's legs, his black tail twitching occasionally. And Inukezi was asleep under the table, a single pillow shoved between him and the cool floor.

Sesshomaru gave a subtle expression... A slight purse of the lips and raising of the brows, like he was a little impressed that Inuyasha's plan had actually worked.

 _Why did you tell them the truth? You could've embellished it._

Inuyasha said through their connection, and Sesshomaru was faintly amused, answering at a whisper, "I thought you preferred not to converse with me through our bond, Inuyasha." The hanyou had previously told him off for it, after all.

"I-"Inuyasha began, his hair poofing up in anger, sitting up just a bit and starting to snarl. But a few whimpers and whines from the pups forced him to calm down, unless of course he wanted to wake them up all over again.

 _I was just surprised, all right. That you didn't make it look like we always got along, or something._

Sesshomaru blinked slowly, and sighed, shifting just a little in the pale moonlight.

 _Its important they understand how I used to be, because many Yokai are still that way, and worse. Would you lie about how the humans treated you, as a hanyou, to make them feel better?_

Inuyasha flinched, a bit. Remembering the cruelty of the humans, rocks thrown, evil names. And of course, the cruelty of Sesshomaru and the other demons like him, glaring down at him from their high horses.

 _No. I guess it'd just weird remembering that because thing's are so different now._

Golden pools turned to meet his own, narrow and glittering in the moonlight. It was completely unfair, how he seemed so put together even when at the point of total exhaustion. Hell, even the damn circles under his eyes seemed only accent those haunting eyes.

 _I would venture to say it is progress, is it not?_

Inuyasha waved a sleepy hand, trying to imitate Sesshomaru's voice jokingly, _If you were the way you were back then, I don't think you'd consider it progress. You'd be all, 'Oh, revolting, I can't believe I'm treating a hanyou with decency, I'd better just put his head on a stake outside the Eastern Gate instead'_

Sesshomaru raised a slim brow, but there was a hint of amusement on his own face.

 _Your impressions of me are most flattering._

Inuyasha dropped the act after a few silent chuckles and said, _I'm just- I'm agreeing with you. Its… progress. This is the first time I've ever felt safe this long._

He admitted, and Sesshomaru looked over at him in surprise. But Inuyasha's eyes were already closed.

 _All right, I'm out._

The hanyou muttered before letting his head drop. Going into a deep and heavy sleep. Sesshomaru was wound too far to sleep. Instead, he dozed and watched the glittering stars until they were tucked behind the tender golden light that signaled the sunrise.

A faint knock on the door was heard.

Sesshomaru was up in a flash, Ame still cradled in one of his arms. Somehow, he managed to keep her almost totally still despite the quick and violent change in position.

Tiao-Wen startled a bit when the Lord appeared so quickly. His brown tail, with a white stripe down the middle, fluffed slightly. Beside him was a runner servant- clearly having just run from the Palace to Sesshomaru's home, as he was still a little out of breath.

"My Lord-"

Sesshomaru bared his teeth and indicated the guard's voice, pointing to Ame, who stirred faintly and gave a soft whine at the noise.

 _Tiao-Wen, If you wake her, I'll have to kill you._

Sesshomaru mouthed, and the guard nodded. He continued in the smallest of whispers, "The Rat Demon of the East wants to speak with you this morning. She asked to move her appointment to seven o clock."

Sesshomaru glanced at the sun in dismay. Not long to get ready and presentable, not long at all.

"Eight. I'll meet her in the purple room at eight. Keep her occupied with breakfast in the meantime. And see if you can get that Tiger Demon Tribe representative in there with her." They were gossipy, and would probably keep each other in good company until he arrived. Especially if they were well fed and catered to. Sesshomaru didn't much like entertaining her- she was self-centered, and her appointments often ran overtime. But she was one of the four main Zodiac that ruled their lands, and so he had to give her the time and respect her position earned. The breakdown of the four main rulers was thus- the Rat of the East, the Tiger of the North, the Dragon of the South, and of course Sesshomaru, the Lord of the West. Within each of these territories were the other, lesser Yokai zodiac houses, such as boar and sheep.

It was also the reason he'd had to endure Ryuu's presence.

Tiao-Wen gave the palace servant a nod, who quickly ran back to the main palace. Sesshomaru turned and handed Ame off to Inuyasha, propping her up against his arm and side. Managing not to wake either of them. Their lessons weren't until the afternoon today, and Sesshomaru was sure that Tiao-Wen would keep them on schedule until he returned. He snuck into the bathroom to wash his face and comb his hair, yanking it into a ponytail and shoving a few glittering ebony hairpins through his silver locks. They each had a long, golden chain that ended in glittering pink pearls. The Rat of the East loved pomp, and though Sesshomaru disliked it, it was best for him to show off for her at least a little.

As he passed Inuyasha, his expression softened a bit. Inuyasha slept like he always did- leaning against something, and with a hand on his sword. Yet this time he seemed much more peaceful. It was a cute scene, him there with the children spread around him.

The Lord of the West leaned into Tiao-Wen, muttering in the guard's ear, "Be sure to wake Wumei early to assist Inuyasha. He is going to need additional support until I return."

And then, Sesshomaru was off.

Luckily, he had just enough time to slip into a different set of robes before making his final entrance. These were dark and rich- black, with patterns of cranes along the sleeves, gold-embroidered. The Rat of the East and her companion, a stand- in for the Tiger, both stood and dipped their chins in a slight bow when Sesshomaru entered. He returned the gesture and then sat at the cushion opposite them, letting blood tea be poured for himself before saying softly,

"Now, what did you want to discuss, Kokoro?" letting his gaze settle on her. She was a bit past her prime, but her wits were unfortunately as sharp as ever. Two soft, grey ears stretched from her head, pulling forward or back depending on her attention. She was quite layered- Sesshomaru could see probably six or seven different layers of purples and violets in her ensemble. He was grateful that he no longer had his female form- the dressing ordeal had been most annoying.

"Two subjects, actually-" She said cheerfully. Her eyes were bright, and had that strange black coloring that all rats had.

"First, that I do hope you'll start taking proposals of marriage for Katsu and Ame, and I do hope to be one of the top contenders, seeing as we have quite the abundance of wealth in our family. And second, I was hoping to get your opinion on some human warlords who are causing trouble in our region."

Sesshomaru blinked. Marriage. Right. That was a tradition among many of them, to marry for political gain. He'd hope to avoid that subject for a little while longer, but apparently not. Good lord, the oldest was barely five, and they were already slavering to get him married off.

"Kokoro, I will take your proposals. But do understand that there will be no agreement between either party until my pups have given consent of their own free will and volition." Sesshomaru said firmly. Like him, he had no doubt that proposals would be filling up more parchment than trees when the pups came of a marrying age. But unlike Inukimi, he was not going to make that decision for them.

Kokoro looked amused, and surprised. " Oh? Hm. Well, I suppose that's one way to do it. I don't know if I'd trust your pup's judgment as equal to your own, my Lord. But, when that time does come, be sure to remember that I was one of the first to bring it up. I'll give the details to your servants later."

"Mm." Sesshomaru thought of Inuyasha. It was for the best he hadn't attended this particular meeting… he could well imagine the hanyou's reaction. _You WHAT? MARRIAGE? You stay the hell away from my pups you disgusting old hag! You can take your proposals and shove em!_

The thought made his eyes crinkle slightly with amusement.

"Oh, and those warlords!" She remembered, making a rather dramatic guesture with one hand. " Always fighting ! The daimyo know no peace. My poor ox and rabbit Yokai villages are getting invaded nearly every moon! I'm about ready to wipe those human villages to the ground myself." She gritted her first a bit. " But you know, that's the thing about those damn humans. There's so many of them… I thought perhaps, I'd discuss with you the best way to get rid of them. After all, you keep none in the Palace, only the hanyou's, and you never seem to have trouble with the warlords."

Her companion, a female tiger, curled her striped tail around one leg nervously and said nothing. Clearly a little overwhelmed being so close to the Lord of the West. Sesshomaru found it rather amusing, since she was nearly as tall as he was.

He then paused. It was much easier to keep control of who came in and out when there were only four gates to keep track of. Outside the palace, he pretty much let the humans do as they pleased. Her lands weren't like that, though. Yokai and human mingled and came and went.

" Have you tried meeting with any of them?" Sesshomaru asked, curiously.

Kokoro seemed flabbergasted. " Wha-meet? With a human? I could never lower myself to that. They're filthy, weak creatures. They probably wouldn't even give me an audience, just shoot me full of arrows the moment I appeared on the front doorstep."

Sesshomaru mused, " They are. But some have been receptive to me when I've sent them letters. It gives me a way to deal with them in the way they understand, without being overwhelmed by my presence. Occasionally it succeeds, and you could hardly be faulted for the attempt before levelling their populations." She could do it, too. Though her army was not as massive as others, she had a network of rat yokai that spread far and wide, allowing her to draw in support as needed.

"They are also very receptive to wealth." He added, as her eyes seemed to dart to the table, clearly thinking it over, her lips pursed and her hand holding the joint of one of her arms. "You can take care of them without ever needing to appear. It would save you a great effort, and many yokai lives."

Sesshomaru sipped his tea, and waited for her answer. Giving a small nod, she seemed to cheer up just a little. "Well. As long as the others don't know- you won't tell, will you? That awful Inukimi was always telling everyone about our meetings, it was so embarrassing-"

His eyes were calm little lakes of honey as he assured her, " Not a word."

Ugh, finally got to updating this. Sorry for the long wait!

Guest- uhh, here you go a two years later I guess xD

Smiles- Don't worry, he won't be gone all that long. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha just need a little alone time is all.

WolfsVine-Aww, thank you ! I hope its just as good, we'll see xD Sorry for the long wait. I basically had a huge writer's block over how to get over the incest thing, but I think I got something figured out.

Reyshia- Thanks ! I hope you enjoyed this one, too.

Kari-Thanks ! I think its kinda fun to plan out the demon world and how it integrates with the feudal era. And I wanted Sesshomaru and the other demons to have their own system, rather than just be wandering demons like Naraku xD

Sherryfanfic-Well, uh, now you know the answer to that question, lol. I've been debating that a bit myself, but I'm not going to tell you because spoilers and all of that. And as for Diao's brother… umm, lets just say that there is an important tie in there. I also had to change the pups around a bit because I was starting to get a bit confused( and also, I wanted to leave room for some, ahem, growth). So its just two pretty fox pups now, off with their daddy to the Fox Palace. As for the humangirl, she's not being manipulated by anyone… yet, lol. And Ryuu has quite a few feelings about the pair. He hates them, but is also attracted to their power and influence. One of those Gollum sort of things.

Kinkycrazy-Awe, thanks. You all make me blush.

Mz. Kimi- Well, uh… better late than never? Eheh…


	3. Chapter 3

Kaori was her name, the girl from another era. She was another incarnation of Kagome, of Kikyo…. Of that one soul that it seemed, just wouldn't leave the hanyou in peace.

She awoke with a start, feeling that something was wrong. She groped for her bow and arrow in the darkness and knocked an arrow, wandering out into the dirt road of the village. Only when she was out did she realize what was wrong.

Shippou was missing. The little yokai was always very clingy towards her. She went back inside to double check, her heart sinking in her chest. Even though she'd just barely met the little yokai, she was quite attached to him. And scared or his safety. All the woods in this strange world seemed infested with demons thirty for human and yokai blood alike.

She didn't want him getting hurt.

She relaxed her grip on the arrow and let it hang at her side, arm trembling slightly. She still wasn't as good as Kagome had been, not yet.

Suddenly, Shippou popped out from the underbrush. He seemed… nervous, and a little twitchy.

She sighed with relief, "Shippou. What are you doing out here all by yourself?" crouching next to him and ruffling his hair as she always did. There was a slight change of expression on his face- something she couldn't quite name that was vaguely unfamiliar and… repelled her, somehow.

" Hey Kaori." He said cheerfully, looking up at her. Huh. Had his eyes always been that grey? Maybe they just looked a bit off, in the darkness.

" I was gonna go visit my yokai friends, and give Inuyasha this before I left." He said, holding up a little glass vial. In it looked like some very ordinary tea leaves. Shippou looked a little distressed and added, " I can't find him anywhere though. Do you know here he went?"

Kaori thought for a moment, "Well. I know he goes to that Foo-Dog Palace a lot. His brother Sesshomaru lives there with his mate. Does he need it right away, or can it wait a few days? I could just give it to him when he gets back, if you're going to be gone a long time."

The fox relaxed a little and nodded, " It can be a few days, it just helps him digest human food. It usually goes in his tea- the whole thing in one cup, kinda mixed in with the rest of the leaves and stuff. Do you think you could do it for me? I feel really bad that I forgot!" His tail gave a few agitated flicks.

She quickly took the vial from him and assured him, "Of course I will, no worries." And the slim kit nodded a few times, adding, "Just ah… don't let the others see it when you do, okay? He's a little embarrassed about the whole thing. Makes him feel left out."

She nodded and looked at the little pack slung over Shippou's shoulder. " Do you have everything that you need?" and he nodded, giving a little wave as he started off down the road. "I do. No worries. Sorry for sort of sneaking off like that. I was hoping I could do it on my own."

Kaori nodded and relaxed a bit, watching him round the corner before heading back inside.

As soon as the lanky fox kit rounded the corner, he glanced around quickly before making a run straight for the woods.

As he ran, his form stretched and morphed, fur becoming long and black.

A group of fox yokai was camped in the woods, and he joined them by the fire, stretching out pink-padded feet to the fire with a groan. Even his kimono had morphed- from green to a tattered greyish-blue.

"So? Did she take it?"

He smirked just a little. " Yeah. We're not gonna have any problems. We just gotta make sure we grab him before he makes it back to that damn Palace." He was not about to go up against that Sesshomaru or his bastard of a fox mate.

No, no job was worth going up against that monstrosity. There were terrible rumors about him- about how now, he was greater than his father had ever been, thanks to his alliance with that damn traitor, Diaozuan. Well, a few foxes still lived who remembered the old ways, and why the dogs should never be forgiven. Why a union between their houses was blasphemous and evil.

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Inuyasha was out killing the demons around the barrier. Of course, he didn't really need to be doing that- Sesshomaru's many Yokai guards kept the barrier up and strong. But it helped for those who wanted to pass in and out without being immediately assaulted once they reached the other side, like himself.

Besides that, it was a great mood-lifter. More than once it had managed to get him out of a bad mood. Now though, it seemed even the splattering of blood and chunks of yokai flesh couldn't lift the tangled mess of emotions that tugged at the hanyou.

He sprinted around the length of the barrier one more time, making sure that all demons had been cleared. Carcasses were piled just outside the glittering dome in neat piles. Waiting to be burned or picked apart by the various predators of the forests.

Inuyasha jumped into the nearest tree to catch his breath. His bare feet barely made a sound on the hard bark and he panted hard to catch his breath. Below him was a small moving stream. Occasionally, slivers of silver fish flicked by. Frogs plopped into the water, and the reeds swayed calmly in the afternoon breeze. Overall, it was far too damn peaceful. He jumped down quickly and grabbed a handful of pebbles off the shoreline before hopping back up to his branch.

Throwing them down one at a time in a petulant manner.

"My name's Kaori. I'm a stupid human. It's okay for me to come back into your life again right? I mean, it'd been like four years since Kagome-" He stiffened a bit and continued, " And, yeah, you should be over it by now right?"

He threw a few down , watching as some bounced and others sank to the bottom. He cleared his throat, making his next voice low and gravelly.

"My name's Diaozuan, and I'm so cool, with my stupid face and my stupid hair."

He threw the next few pebbles, and it bounced slightly off the riverbed.

"I'm too cool to admit I like you, so I'll just kiss you right before I leave for a year. That'll help clear up your feelings, won't it Inuyasha?"

Plop. Plop, plop!

"My name's Sesshomaru. I'm far too above your station. I'm going to tell a tale of the time you chopped my arm off to the pups so that you get a chance to reflect on the weirdness of us living together. And, I'm going to drape my stupid hair on your arm and press stupid kisses to your forehead and-" He was throwing them with quite some force, now. Unfortunately, one swing was a bit too much for the thin branch that he was on to handle.

Snap.

"Shi-!"

Sploosh. A very wet Inuyasha sat up and crawled onto the pebbled bank, coughing and spluttering. After drying himself off and squeezing some water out of his hair, he sat down quietly on a little grassy outcropping just above the river. Just low enough for him to stick his feet in the water. His ears went back with mild contentment at the sensation for a moment… before pinning back in frustration.

 _Damn it._

Kaori. Diaozuan. Sesshomaru. His mind felt full to bursting. For a brief bitter moment he wished he was back in the village with Kagome. Back when everything had been so much simpler. Back when the count of who he missed, who he owed, who he.. was attached to was countable on one hand.

Kaori. He needed to do something about her.

He'd noted that, the whole time he'd been gone, he hadn't thought too much about her. And that was an issue. With Kagome, she had always been on his mind. Her safety, her well-being. Where she was, if she was happy or not.

Alive.. or not.

A sinking began in his chest. He was forcing this, wasn't he? Hell, he'd felt more when he'd been kissed by that damn fox than by her. That was a telltale sign, wasn't it?

A sign that perhaps… she still wasn't Kagome. She wasn't Kikyo.

A sign that it was time for him to take matters into his own hands. He needed to make a decision, now. He glanced at his reflection. The jagged stripes on his cheeks. Yes… it was wrong of him to drag her along anymore when he felt this way. As if he was drowning merely thinking of her. As if she was just another thing on his plate to deal with, rather than something to be loved, protected.

She didn't deserve this.

He touched the mark on the back of his neck and then slowly covered it with one hand. Bowing his head a little so that the long silver strands curled gently in the grass below him.

Inuyasha for the first time, was comforted by the crescent moon. That patch of skin that was always faintly warmer than everywhere else.

Underneath, he could feel the tickle of Sesshomaru's consciousness far off in the palace. Something sharp and prickly, sort of like a case of the goosebumps. He wasn't sure what the Daiyokai was thinking about, only that he was doing so so rapidly Inuyasha couldn't pick up a single thought. That was probably for the best, though.

The grassy clearing that held Inuyasha filled slowly with the scent and heaviness of Sesshomaru's demonic aura. Wrapping around and comforting the hanyou like an invisible blanket. Heavy, yes. But soothing in it's thickness as it blocked out the anxiety that filled Inuyasha's mind.

His ears tilted back and trembled slightly. Damn it. Had he called out or something? Without meaning to?

It felt as if Sesshomaru was right there in the clearing with him. Leaning up against the hanyou's back, his long strands of hair tickling Inuyasha's bare palms and feet. He was sure that if he opened his eyes he would be there, his eyes glittering like sunlight off the water on a hot afternoon.

 _All will be well, Inuyasha._

A long sigh he didn't even know he was holding in left his body.

All at once, Sesshomaru's presence left. The birdsong started up again, and he heart the faint far off sounds of animals and yokai moving in the underbrush.

Inuyasha stood and shook himself out a bit, rolling his shoulders and then touching stretching his arms up and out.

Right. It was time to settle this.

Inuyasha took off in the direction of the human village.

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Sesshomaru was zoning out, just a little.

He certainly didn't mean to. The current discussion had little to do with his lands or interests though. The meetings between kingdoms went like that sometimes, and it chafed him a bit that he was expected to attend. He wasn't about to start doling out wisdom to every damn providence. Heck, the only reason he'd offered the Rat Tribe leader his advice was because her territories were entwined with his trade. He'd be annoyed if his Palace started to starve thanks to her incompetence.

The current discussion was about the samurai, the shogunate, and their current human government. Unsurprisingly, many demons didn't like the fact that despite the unrest, a few very stable human providences were cropping up. Humans were much easier to deal with scattered than prosperous. They didn't seem to understand or want to acknowledge that the Zodiac Yokai would eventually, have to work in tandem with the humans if they truly wanted to prosper. Sesshomaru had injured by many of the human's weapons over the years and every year, they were closer to creating weapons of real damage to Yokai hide and magic.

Inuyasha was distressed. Something to do with that stupid human woman, Diaozuan, and surprisingly himself as well. That hanyou's mind was a tangled mess. Sesshomaru frowned slightly as his mark ached, his yokai stirring just a little under lily skin. Hnph. He'd have to do something if he didn't want a roaring migraine for the rest of the day.

All at once, he was by the riverbank.

Not physically, of course- but his aura, his essence was there. He looked around mildly.

It had been a while since his Yokai let his essence move around like this. It was an unusual ability, and one he couldn't use often or for great lengths of time without harming himself. But, apparently it was needed.

Looks like Inuyasha was doing one of his barrier runs again. The hanyou was there, crouched in thought, and Sesshomaru could see that he was holding the back of his neck.

 _Hm. The first time you have called me unconsciously._

The Daiyokai thought curiously. He sat down gently, arranging his swords just so before pressing his back against Inuyasha's, for that was what his Yokai was insisting.

He felt Inuyasha's muscles tense at first. But after a moment or two, they relaxed. The fire-rat robes were warm from the sun and still stank slightly from fresh demon blood. Sesshomaru closed his own eyes for just a moment and allowed himself to enjoy the sights and sounds from Inuyasha's location.

The sunlight soaking through the canopy in cheerful chunks of light. The gurgle of the stream. The warmth of his brother's body.

And if he were being honest with himself, the company wasn't so bad. Inuyasha was only a pain anytime his mouth was open.

 _All will be well, Inuyasha._

At first he felt he hanyou tense again and wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. However this fear was alleviated when he felt the sigh escape from Inuyasha, and the aura around his brother cleared.

 _Lord Sesshomaru._

Sesshomaru jerked slightly, blinking a few times. He was back in the green room. That female tiger Yokai from yesterday was giving him a slightly worried look. She had black marks on her skin that striped up into her hair, along with white and orange, in a rather exotic display.

"My Lord?" Her voice was soft and gentle, but it was clear she was a little concerned with his behavior. Luckily, the others hadn't noticed his unresponsiveness yet.

He shook his head once and then assured her, " I am well. I just needed to comfort my ma-" He paused. " One of my marked ones."

The tiger nodded in relief, some amusement crossing her face when the Rat demon got into a rather heated debate with one of the Snake Yokai on the other side of the table. It gave her the opportunity to talk with him a little more.

" I know many Daiyokai have more than one. It must be nice to feel them with you, even when you're… perhaps somewhere you'd prefer not to be." She said, her voice dropping lower. Sesshomaru smirked just a little before getting a rather interesting expression on his face. Something akin to… annoyance? Exasperation? Confusion? Perhaps all at the same time. " Nice yes. But also, quite a bit of maintenance. One of mine requires quite a bit of attention sometimes." Ah, the expression of annoyance was back. Even though The Lord of the West's expressions were quite hard to read, she was getting better at them. A certain narrowing of the eye, clench of the jaw, curve of the lip. Contrary to most Yokai's assumptions, they weren't absent. They were just… subtle.

She smiled, "But that's a good thing right? It just means that he or she wants to be around you. Wants to be sure of your bond." She looked down, thinking of her own crush back home, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Of course." Sesshomaru said, hesitantly.

The Lord of the West watched her expression with mild interest before looking across the table. But his attention was entirely focused inwards.

Maybe /that/ was Inuyasha's problem. He hadn't quite put their relationship into a box yet. Something easily labeled. And whatever had happened between Diaozuan and Inuyasha hadn't helped matters. They hadn't mated- Sesshomaru would have felt that- but there had been something. Some little touch or guesture, perhaps a kiss, that had left the hanyou all shaken up.

And then of course, there was that other thing.

 _You called almost called him your-_

 _Your-_

 _Are we going to talk about that?_

 _No._

No. He wasn't going to talk about it, or think about it. Or even address it ever again. He was going to blame his yokai, and push it deep down where all the other bad things he didn't want to think about went.

Deep in the abyss of his heart.

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"Inuyasha!" She was happy to see him.

He hopped out of the tree with a huff. " Yeah, yeah, I'm here." Sango and Miroku seemed happy to see him, and he growled a bit as their two twin daughters ran from the hug, giving him a hug.

"Okay. All right. No, no ears!" He tossed his head a bit. Damn The taller they got, the easier it was for those little fingers to reach his ears.

Kaori noted though, that he gave each girl a little affectionate pat on the head as they went back into the hut to their mother and father. Inuyasha joined them, unsure when exactly to pull Kaori away and tell her. Of course, she was more than welcome to stay in this world, if that was what he wished.

But he had to make it clear they could never be more than friends.

There was.. something else. Well, a lot of other things really.

 _Eheheh… fuck._

His ears tucked down to his head tightly. Sango and Kaori set to work preparing some tea while Inuyasha and Miroku chatted, the girls sitting beside their father. A little fascinated by Inuyasha as they always were.

The weather. How Sango was doing. The girls. The samurai. Recent demon sightings and fights.

"Too bad you don't have the wind tunnel anymore eh? That was always a surefire way to win a fight. Now, all you've got is this lame staff." Inuyasha joked. Miroku huffed a bit, and gave the yokai a swift smack on the top of his head with the staff before setting it back in the corner of the room.

"Aooow!" Inuyasha rubbed his head as the girls giggled. " If it can defeat you, it can certainly help protect the village from a few lower demons." Miroku huffed, adding thoughtfully, " Though, Sango's been working on some weapons for the girls as well. And a few of the other villagers of the right age. Who knows? Maybe in a few more years, this will be a new demon slayer village, if we work hard enough."

Inuyasha huffed a bit. Hmm. Wouldn't be such a bad idea. Though, he was a bit worried that it would meet the same fate as the old village, if too many demons knew of its existence.

"Huh. Well, might not want to advertise that too much." Inuyasha said softly, and Miroku nodded.

"So, how's everything been in the demon world? How are the kids?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms and scoffed. " Fine. Katsu's still busting into chicken coops unless we hunt every day, Ame's a little angel with no faults, and Inukezi's insisting that he train with the pups even though we've already told him a million times he'll get his ass kicked. Toshi-" He paused. The little fox daiyokai was having a tough time.

Miroku smiled just a little. "Sounds like everything's going well." And looked Inuyasha over, tilting his head a bit.

" You look… different somehow. Less of a little punk, and more of a man."

Inuyasha bristled, "Little punk? I'll show you little punk, you pervert-" before Sango's voice interrupted, "No fighting in the house. If you want to go spar outside, that's fine." She set her hand lightly on Hiraikotsu to emphasize the point. Both men laughed nervously before settling back down.

" Besides, the new stripes are nice. The only other times I've seen those were when you were in those awful blood rages. I guess living with Sesshomaru and the others must have helped with that."

"Eheh, yeah…" Inuyasha's ears went out to either side, twitching a bit with nervousness. Kaori handed out tea, and Miroku and Inuyasha both took a cup. Kaori and Sango settled down with the two of them by the fire, tea in their hands as well.

 _Tell them the truth. They deserve to know. They're still your friends._

Inuyasha sighed. " Um. So. You know how some of the demons we fight have those bond-marking things?"

Miroku perked up a little. " Yeah? Why? Are there some around the village that you know of?" They were usually a bigger threat than the lower level ones. And exceptionally hard to kill- much easier to just drive away.

Inuyasha avoided the question. " So, basically, about a year ago I was helping Sesshomaru fight that big cat rebellion in the Fox Tribe territory. Maybe you remember it?"

Miroku's expression changed a bit. "I heard about it. He defeated an entire army. I knew Lord Sesshomaru's power was great, but he seems to have surpassed his father with that other Daiyokai at his side."

Inuyasha waved a hand, " Diaozuan's not so bad, once you get to know him." and took a breath.

"Basically I noticed Sesshomaru was acting weird around me. And that it had something to do with his fangs. So, I got mad and tried to pry his mouth open to see what the hell was going on-"

He ran a hand through his silver hair once, nervously. " Long story short, he nicked me with his damn venom. And if he didn't want me to die, he had to give me the mark. So basically, I've got one from Sesshomaru. So just… don't freak out about it, okay?"

He glanced around cautiously.

And was met with a mix of surprised and shocked stares. Sango broke the silence with, " I'm surprised he… wanted you to live, Inuyasha. Seems like it would have saved him the trouble."

"Yeah. Things have changed, a lot, with the pups and everything. But um. We aren't gonna kill each other anymore, so that's good I guess."

Miroku said softly, " I'm a little confused. I thought that was only for- uh, romantic partners." And Inuyasha flushed with embarrassment. " Ah- apparently, it can be familial too. It's just usually not used as often for that stuff. But apparently it's a little more common among the Daiyokai and other fancy upper-rank demons."

Sango nodded mutedly. " I remember a few demons that had a bond among the brothers or sisters. It's usually used if the mothers or fathers aren't present. Sort of extra protection. They can use it to communicate with each other over long distances, and sense if the other is in danger or in distress. And the longer you're marked, the easier it is to contact them. It was even said that some could read the thoughts of their marked one, but-"

Inuyasha tilted his head a bit in confusion. That… wasn't normal? That was the first thing that had happened between him and Sesshomaru, seconds after the damn bond had been slapped on his skin.

Sango saw his confusion, but simply added, "But Inuyasha… you do know if Sesshomaru is killed, you'll be effected too right? And because you're a half and half, I don't know what would happen." She sipped her tea, seeming lost in thought.

This seemed to remind everyone, and they all took a long swig. Inuyasha took some as well but wrinkled his nose. It tasted unusually bitter. He took the rest quickly and set the cup aside, a sour expression on his face. Usually Kaori was decent at tea, but that had been absolutely terrible. He didn't want to get yelled at though. Miroku looked amused, "Looks like you got all the dregs."

"Mmh."

'I don't think that's super likely." He said and turned to Kaori, " Come on. We need to talk." Motioning for her to follow and standing.

Only to stumble and grip the door frame, breathing fast. The room was reeling. What the hell was going on?

"Inuyasha!"Miroku and Sango helped him stand, and he glanced down the road.

Fox yokai , near the edge of the woods. A scout saw him, and made some sort of motion. A few more appeared among the underbrush, their yellow and green eyes glittering.

"Trouble." He said, squinting to focus. There wasn't an option. He had to make a run for it. It was the best option he had, as he wasn't about to bring the fight straight to Miroku's children.

"I'll go with you. Miroku, stay here. Kaori, help him-" She grabbed the bone boomerang and slung it over one shoulder.

As the two stepped out of the home, the fox yokai's made themselves known as well. The villagers screamed, the men grabbing swords or knives to protect themselves. But there was no need- they were only interested in Inuyasha.

There was a growl from the side of the hut. A great cat appeared with fierce black markings across her face.

"Kilala." Sango said in relief, giving Inuyasha a nod. " Go ahead, run. I'll cover you."

Inuyasha ran. His heart was pounding in his chest. He had to get back to the Palace, had to get to a damn healer and quick. His vision was already blurry.

Behind him he could hear the sounds of battle- Kilala screaming, the yowls of pain from the fox yokai. Their breathing and screaming. The thudding of footsteps behind him. Oh, close now.

 _How many are there?_ He thought with a little panic. Was Kaori in with them somehow?

His thoughts were broken when something tackled him from behind. He snarled, drawing his sword across foreign torso and being rewarded with a pained yelp as he was set free.

He gave the fox another kick for good measure before getting back to running.

 _Ugh…_

His head throbbed with pain. Suddenly, the hanyou's foot hit a root. He stumbled, then fell head over heels onto the unforgiving ground. More shocked than hurt. He never tripped or fell. Never.

However, he didn't get the chance as something dropped onto him from above.

 _A net?_

Inuyasha let out a surprised yelp of pain when he slashed at it with his claws. It burned! It was infused with some kind of purifying water. Worse still, it seemed to be getting tighter every minute.

"Sango-" He called out, but grabbed his throat in surprise. The yell had come out as nothing more than a whisper. A sort of hoarse squeak.

 _Sesshomaru-!_

"Got 'im!" One of the foxes said triumphantly, slipping on a pair of shiny silver gloves before grabbing the net. Two more foxes joined him. Clearly, this was a larger operation. They watched Sango warily for a minute, but she hadn't yet noticed the capture.

The made sure to drag Inuyasha carefully out of her line of sight, behind trees and down a rocky outcropping.

"How come he's not yelling out for her?" Inuyasha heard a fox say as he twisted fiercely in the bag, pushing it away from his face and pushing the blade of the sword against it. He was so angry, furious actually.

"It's the potion. Didn't you know that's how it starts?" The second grey fox answered. He noticed that Inuyasha's sword was starting to work through the net. Quickly, he pinned Inuyasha's hand down with his foot and pressed his heel down hard on Inuyasha' wrist. Both seemed equally as surprised that he was able to disarm the hanyou that easily.

"Damn. I almost feel sorry for you." The fox said, and Inuyasha could see the glitter of white fangs. "Emphasis on the 'almost' part." Inuyasha bared his fangs in response and growled, trying to thrash free of his grip.

His strength was fading. It seemed like he could barely keep a decent grip on his sword, much less call the strength for a wind scar.

Suddenly, a little ball of light approached them. Almost like a moth, or firefly, only there were none of those in the middle of the day.

The fox yokai near him tensed, grabbing his sword, and Inuyasha chuckled and relaxed. This alarmed the yokai.

"What is that? One of your stupid friends?"

" I almost… I almost feel sorry for you." Inuyasha whispered as they were suddenly bathed in blinding light. Inuyasha of course had closed his eyes, but he heard the snap of Sesshomaru's whip, and the hissing of his poisonous claws. In fact, it was the last thing he heard. All of that thrashing had spread the potion quickly in his system and slipped him into a drugged sleep.

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Sesshomaru later, admitted to himself that he was in a bit of a frenzy.

Usually he didn't have to worry about Inuyasha on his little trips to the human villages. That was why it was so odd to feel that twinge of pain. And why it sent him reeling when he realized that it was much more than the average, intense demon fight.

The glowing neon rope snapped easily around the trees, through metal, through leather armor. Chunks of bodies flew, hitting the trees and streaking them with dark blue blood. Sesshomaru did not stop until he felt no movement, none except for Inuyasha of course, and those too far from his whip. Sango was just finishing up, and looking for Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru bent and his eyes narrowed when he saw how the net glittered. Green poison oozed in thin strips from his beautiful claws. In one violent movement, he slashed the net open and pulled his brother out, propping him against his bent leg.

Inuyasha was out cold. Still alive, but unconscious. His color was off, and his breathing was a bit labored. Some kind of poison.

"Lord Sesshomaru-"

Sesshomaru tensed when Sango approached, though of course he'd smelled and heard her coming. He was livid. No.. his hands were shaking slightly with rage. He'd left Inuyasha alone for all of two seconds, and this is what happened thanks to his stupid human friends.

He turned to Sango all of the sudden in one jerking movement.

She gasped, her grip on Hiraikotsu tightening. The sclera were a bright red, while the iris was a midnight blue. When she looked into them it was as if every demon she'd ever slain didn't matter. They were fodder, ants. Dirt. Compared to the one standing in front of her. And some terrible voice inside her told her that she would never be able to defeat what stood just feet from her, his knuckles giving a crack as poison continued to drip from clear claws.

And then all of the sudden, he was gone in a rush of wind.

And back in the human village.

In another burst of light, Sesshomaru appeared right beside the monk.

"Sesshomaru!" He said in surprise, his voice dying in his throat when he saw the man's eyes. Kaori was in the corner, and she tried her best to quiet the two girls who were quite frightened by Sesshomaru's appearance. Tucked away in his arms was Inuyasha, but he was hard to see under the thick red and white sleeves.

He cared not if he frightened them.

He snatched up the cup with his free hand, sniffing the contents with narrowed eyes.

Miroku suddenly found his voice- or perhaps recognized that, if he said nothing, the crime would be pinned on Kaori. She would be immediately killed.

" Kaori was tricked into giving Inuyasha something. One of the foxes transformed into our friend, Shippou, and tricked her." The Daiyokai considered this, tilting his head. He sensed no lie in the monk's voice.

Sesshomaru's terrible gaze turned to her, and she went to her knees.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen!" In her hands, she held up the little vial that not-Shippou had given her. Sesshomaru snatched it up and slipped it into his sleeve with a flick of his wrist. Then, dragged his claws across her cheek.

Her blood splattered across the wall in red droplets.

She shrieked in pain and surprise. He leaned very close to her then, so close she could feel his warm breath on what was left of her cheek.

His eyes were great pools of hell and darkness as he promised, "If he dies, you die, wench." before suddenly disappearing from sight.

All in all, he'd been in the hut for a total of about two minutes.

Miroku caught his breath and started unrolling some gauze for Kaori. As he did so, he gestured for her to come close and said weakly, "Right. So. That's Sesshomaru so… now you've met pretty much everyone." His hands shaking just a bit as he wiped the marks with a kind of disinfectant, then wrapped them in gauze. Damn, they were deep. He wasn't even sure if he could get them to heal without causing scars.

He was a little impressed with Sesshomaru's restraint. Perhaps knowing that Inuyasha cared for her also helped stay his hand. But… telling Kaori probably wouldn't comfort her.

Kaori nodded numbly, totally overwhelmed. That was who Inuyasha was bonded to? They couldn't be more different.

He was absolutely terrifying. She was just glad she'd peed earlier, or she might have soiled herself.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered again weakly, thinking of Inuyasha. She'd seen him in Sesshomaru's arm, just barely. All her fault. _How could I have been so stupid?_

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Sesshomaru tapped out a pattern less rhythm with his claws as he waited. Tian , the snake healer, was busy examining both Inuyasha and the contents of the vial that Sesshomaru had gotten from that stupid human woman. The black scales on the back of his neck glittered faintly, traced with a deep purple pattern.

Finally, the snake healer sighed and sat down in the chair opposite Sesshomaru.

"I know what it is, but there isn't much I can do to reverse the process once it's started. All I can do is help with the pain."

The Daiyokai gave and impatient, " And? What exactly is occurring?" and the snake sighed, looking almost uncomfortable.

"Well.. to put it simply, it's basically an artificial version of what you, my Lord, went through a few years ago."

Seeing Sesshomaru's confusion, he clarified, "When you became female."

The Lord of the West blinked slowly. "Excuse me?"

Tian nodded, rummaging around in his bag and starting to mix some herbs for Inuyasha that might help with the pain… though, perhaps he'd just drown it in sake, as Sesshomaru had done.

" The plant he was given imitates the same hormones released to induce those transformations. In small doses, it's good for pregnant yokai, headaches, and the like. But such a large dose initiates the transformation from male to female."

Sesshomaru made an irritated noise. " Can it be reversed?" The snake paused. " To be perfectly honest… I'm not sure. In natural cases like yours, you transform back after six months, or after your young are nursed. Even if Inuyasha were to get pregnant, there's no guarantee he'd ever return to his male state because of his human blood."

The Lord almost laughed.

 _Pregnant? Inuyasha?_

He was certain that the hanyou would rather die.

Sesshomaru's hand clenched into a fist on his thigh, the claws digging into his palm and dripping blue blood onto his kimono.

Tian startled a bit, "-My Lord, calm yourself. You couldn't have predicted this would happen. Or prevented it."

 _Oh yes, I could have. Diaozuan's brother… I should have kept Inuyasha on a shorter leash. It was foolish for met to let him roam the grounds alone. Some Daiyokai is targeting us._

 _Ryuu? No.. He wouldn't be so rash._

But Sesshomaru was going to find out who sent those foxes. He'd already sent some of his guards to investigate their bodies for clues. Sesshomaru wanted to send for Diaozuan, but that would be a move based only in emotion, not logic.

He'd have a long talk with Diaozuan later via their marks and see what the fox's opinion was.

In the meantime… He glanced back at Inuyasha. This was going to be extremely unpleasant for all of them.

"I'd best take my leave. Are you able to stay by his side? I don't want him unattended." Sesshomaru said quietly.

Tian sighed, " I have many others to attend to today. But I can keep my understudy by Inuyasha's side. He's competent enough." Sesshomaru nodded. The corn snake was the same one who had attended Diaozuan during the birth of the two fox pups. He was good at his work, though a bit shy.

But as the Lord was going to leave, his legs sort of… seized up. He stood in the doorway, perplexed, the red blooming in his eyes and the beast under his skin roaring in protest.

His yokai did not want to leave Inuyasha's side.

Tian walked over to his Lord with mild interest. This interest soon turned to amusement when he saw the red glint. " Ah. Perhaps you don't have to worry too much about Inuyasha being unattended after all, my Lord."

Sesshomaru jerked at his legs again but to no avail. "Accursed beast- I have business to attend to-"

Tian gently slid past Sesshomaru, all smirks now. " I shall let Tiao-Wen and the other servants know that that the Lord of the West will be unable to attend any of his meetings tonight. Oh, and I'll ask Wumei to attend the pups a little while longer after classes."

"Tian-" Sesshomaru began, but paused. During the course of that silence Tian added gently, " My Lord. With all due respect, one of your bonded ones is quite far away, and the other is injured. It may well be in your best interest to stay with Inuyasha as well. For the well-being of your yokai and his."

This was met with silence as Sesshomaru pondered. Tian felt relief when Sesshomaru finally turned on one heel, going back to Inuyasha's side.

"The two blue vials will be the best for the pain. Send for me if you need more." Tian said, and bowed, taking his leave.

Sesshomaru shut the door with his heel and eyed the little vials in distaste. Maybe Inuyasha would get lucky, and stay asleep through the whole transformation.

It was quiet, in this room. It was rarely used- it had just happened to be the one closest by where the infirmary was( in a separate building), and Sesshomaru didn't want Inuyasha in there. There was no need for others to see what was going to happen. This would be embarrassing and frightening enough for the hanyou already.

" Are you never going to stop causing trouble, little brother?" He said softly, though his voice held no malice. He studied his brother's face, trying to commit it to memory. After all, this would be the last time he'd see it exactly like this… perhaps, for some time. Perhaps forever.

It was hard to absorb.

A woman. Would he even be able to hold his sword? Would he even want to? What if this was a last blow to the long series of terrible things that had happened to him?

What if this was the thing that finally broke his spirit?

There was a terrible cracking sound, somewhere around Inuyasha's collarbones. He whimpered and curled up into a tight ball, sweat beading on his forehead. Sesshomaru used the washcloth that Tian had left behind, checking to make sure the water was still cold before wiping the sweat from Inuyasha's forehead.

Ugh. He'd been reduced to a handmaid.

He ignored the small voice in his mind that reminded him that he could just ignore his yokai as he usually did and force himself out the door.

He stretched his legs and propped himself up by his elbows on the high bed.

Sesshomaru's mind wandered. He attended Inuyasha well into the night, and even managed to get the hanyou to swallow one of the potions.

He meant to close his eyes for only a moment. It was around five in the morning, when it happened. The birds weren't even up yet, and a thin line of blue was the only sign that the end to the night had come.

It wasn't really 'Sesshomaru' who woke. It was the yokai that slept just under his skin. Him, yet unimpeded by decorum and pomp and the choking hands of the trauma Sesshomaru had endured. The trauma that kept him cold, expressionless.

A yokai was the purer form of their souls.

His sclera were red again, and that same glittering sapphire was in his iris. He sniffed long Inuyasha's skin, and heard him stir awake.

At first Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise," Sesshoma-.." and then his voice stopped, his own eyes filling with the colors that reflected Sesshomaru's perfectly. All of the sudden his expressions were different as well- softer, more open. The 'tough guy' act was almost gone.

Trembling just a little, he touched foreheads with Sesshomaru. The Daiyokai leaned in, huffing softly and lifting an arm, yanking the yokai closer to him. Inuyasha pulled his arms and legs tight to his body, making himself as small as he could. He closed his eyes, pain clear in every fiber.

Then, the Lord of the West did something rather surprising.

He started to groom him. It was more like nuzzling at first, but soon Inuyasha felt the long, warm laps against his sweaty, hot skin. Sesshomaru's tongue was surprisingly rough, and not too wet. Just enough to leave Inuyasha's skin clean and slightly cool to the touch. He worked hardest on Inuyasha's forehead and face, working his way down to his neck and just a little of the collarbones.

Little by little, Inuyasha's trembling went from high strung, to low, to barely perceptible. He was still in an extraordinary amount of pain, but the attention was primitive and comforting to the little yokai.

He enjoyed it.

Sesshomaru indicated he was finished by a final nuzzle to Inuyasha's skin before pulling back. Looking the littler of the two over to make sure his trembling had stopped. The smaller one's mind raced. How did he show he was grateful? Perhaps…

Inuyasha scooted close to the edge of the bed, pressing his weight to Sesshomaru and his head against the Daiyokai's chest.

He then looked up , seeking approval.

Sesshomaru gave a snort of amusement. Good enough, for now. He settled an arm over Inuyasha's shoulder and moved his hair a bit, giving a low growl of contentment seeing the mark. He gave it a single lick and then tucked his chin into the hanyou's tanned neck, closing his eyes. Their breathing fell into sync and they both drifted to sleep.

You could well imagine Lord Sesshomaru's embarrassment, waking up to Inuyasha tangled in his arms.

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Please read and review! It motivates me to post quicker. Also! I like to answer my reviewers in this little section below.

No Fan of Kikyo: Well, uh, you got your wish I suppose!


	4. Chapter 4

_Seems like you had a pleasant evening._

Dianzuan's voice slid through Sesshomaru's mind as he was busy detangling himself from the hanyou, without waking the stupid half-breed up.

 _Silence._

 _It's funny, you know. Your Yokai seem to get along quite well, when you aren't busy repressing them._

Sesshomaru glared, getting the last of his sleeves out of Inuyasha's grip. The pup whined a little, unhappy at the loss of warmth.

 _Diaozuan, remind me to kill you when you return._

More laughter from the fox's end, and that made Sesshomaru's ears redden. Oh how he hated being laughed at.

 _I will, my dear orchid. I was just pointing out that your yokai seems none too upset about the idea of Inuyasha becoming female._

Sesshomaru crossed his arms and huffed, combing out the smallest of tangles with his claws and pretending not to care. But Diaozuan was right. And it bothered him, like a sliver just under his skin. The whole thing with Gao had made their demons very… close. Uncomfortably so. How exactly was his demon going to react to Inuyasha being female? And of breeding age, no less?

Sesshomaru's awful childhood contributed greatly to a terrible relationship with his yokai- his inner needs and emotions. He'd been repressing it for so long that the beast was still rather… immature.

Dangerous. And interested in about 3 things; food, sex, and protecting the babies. All in all not bad traits, but with the fox gone-

Well. It wasn't the best situation. The idea of doing anything physical with Inuyasha made Sesshomaru want to kill himself. But the fact of the matter was, even Sesshomaru realized his yokai was reacting to this transformation in a positive way, which was unusual.

Yokai didn't breed sisters to brother, or even cousins usually, because of how it tainted the blood and weakened the kits. So it was very, very strange that his yokai was acting in this manner.

Almost as if Inuyasha were just another Foo-Dog Daiyokai, instead of his half-brother. Sesshomaru would have to go into the archives, do some research.

 _There's another problem we need to address._

Sesshomaru said softly. Far off in the Fox Tribe lands, Diaozuan leaned back on his pillows and made himself comfortable. Tucking his seven long tails over his bare feet and humming a little.

 _Tell me everything._

They talked for some time.

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It took about two weeks for Inuyasha's transformation to be complete.

Sesshomaru slept little. There was so much to be done. Pups to be attended to. Counsel meetings. Paperwork. And of course, his usual training with Bakusaiga and Tenseiga; sometimes with the guards of the Palace, but often alone, as he was a little nervous to unleash to full power of his swords on them.

During that time, Inuyasha was attended by a variety of people- Tian and Yuki mostly, but Sesshomaru also a great deal. In the meantime, Sesshomaru looked after the Palace and their four pups alone- no easy task. They were asking about every five minutes what was wrong with him, and when he was going to get better. And Sesshomaru had no fast and hard answers at the ready.

However, letting them go to see Inuyasha once at least quelled the questions somewhat. They'd come into the room quietly, as he'd instructed.

When they saw how quiet and still Inuyasha was they quickly realized the seriousness of his condition. Inukezi seemed shocked and stayed by his father's head, his expression grim. Katsu ran tiny fingers gently along the fire-rat robes. Ame clung to his arm, burying her face in it. And Toshi snuggled up to his side, making sure that he got Inuyasha's scent on him.

Sesshomaru let them stay for some time, watching them with interest. They were all so attached to the hanyou… but that was to be expected. He was sort of like their father- had been there for them since their earliest memories. He, Diaozuan, and Sesshomaru. They were a family, and when any part was taken away, they suffered.

He needed to get to the bottom of who did this. For their sake, but also for the sake of his children. He wouldn't tolerate harm to come to a single hair in their heads. He let them stay for about ten minutes, clutching close to Inuyasha or whispering in his ear, trying to get him to wake up.

"Children. Its time to go. Inuyasha needs his rest." He finally said, his voice low and cool. Mercury.

"But-!" Katsu began, his cheeks red with indignation. Sesshomaru raised a brow, and watched the boy's indignation slowly deflate. Katsu was the most like Inuyasha of all of them. A fire burned inside him.

"Yes?"

Katsu bit his lip. "Its not fair. He didn't do anything wrong."

Sesshomaru's yellow eyes met with his son's levelly. "Life is unjust, Katsu. And cruel. But Inuyasha will wake soon, so do not despair." The boy huffed and clung to Sesshomaru's arm for a moment, his little tail flicking angrily.

"Imma kill the one who did this."

Ame gave a surprised gasp, and Toshi looked over at Katsu with admiration.

Sesshomaru's eyes squinted a little with amusement. " No, son. That kill belongs to me. Now, run along. I know you all have lessons to attend to."

And so they went.

Luckily for Inuyasha, Sesshomaru was the one attending when he… she, finally woke up.

"Ugh. Fuck." She sat up slowly, rubbing her face. Inuyasha was not the sort to wake up gracefully, so Sesshomaru was not surprised by this. His own expression was a bit pinched.

This was going to be even harder than telling her about the marks.

Perhaps it was better to let… her figure it out herself?

"Sesshomaru?"

He looked up. Overall the face wasn't too different. Thinner eyebrows, a more rounded and feminine jawline.. and the voice, of course. Inuyasha noticed it too, and a hand went to her throat in surprise as she muttered another obscenity under her breath.

"You've been poisoned, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru began as the hanyou suddenly took notice of her hands. Smaller. More feminine. Shorter, thinner claws and bone structure.

He watched as Inuyasha's hand swept lightly over the new body- small shoulders, small breasts, larger hips. And he felt a great sympathy for the hanyou, for he remembered exactly how he had felt.

So very helpless. He could see the mounting panic in Inuyasha's yellow eyes. Inuyasha shrieked, screaming out in shock and surprise. This was followed by an intense muttering of 'what the fuck' over and over under her breath.

Sesshomaru waited quietly. Suddenly, the hanyou sprang to her feet, hand on her sword as she snarled, " Outta my way Sesshomaru, I'm gonna get the bastards who did this to me-"

But she was stopped.

By his arm.

The surprise was clear on her face, as was the resignation in Sesshomaru's. There was an awkward moment of silence before she drew her sword, " God damn it Sesshomaru- " and waited for Tessaiga to transform.

And waited. Inuyasha waved the rusty sword around in fury, " Tessaiga? The hell's wrong with you?" and Sesshomaru murmured, " You cannot wield him in this state. Not yet. Your poisoners have been dispatched. Even now, my informers are tracing the true source of those moving against us. Does that comfort you?"

"No!" Inuyasha snarled. Her mind was full of fire and rage yet there was so much fear underneath. It was coming to Sesshomaru in waves via their bond, nearly drowning him in the hanyou's emotions. Swallowing a few times and bracing himself against the hanyou's emotions, he offered simply,

"Inuyasha. What can I do to ease this for you."

White ears twitched and turned in his direction, at that. The hanyou's mouth actually opening at bit at those words. Um? Had that just come from his brother? The same one who'd said _'I am ashamed my father's blood flows in your veins'._

And she was overwhelmed all over again by how much things were changing between them. Scared, a little. Sesshomaru would never be the caring older brother- that window had passed. But still. They were connected, no denying that anymore. She sheathed her sword with a sigh and looked down at the shiny floors for a moment.

"How can I fix this bullshit? How can I go back to normal?"

Sesshomaru averted his gaze. And though his expression was stoic, Inuyasha could feel his emotions, just under that perfect white skin. A sinking sensation in his gut. Whatever it was, it wasn't good news.

"C'mon, spit it out. It can't be that bad. What, am I gonna be stuck like this?"

"In full-blooded yokai, you avert back to your normal state after six months or after your pups are weaned. But since you are a hanyou, we do not know if you will ever revert back to your original form."

Then there was silence on the hanyou's end. And if Sesshomaru knew his brother, it was when he was silent that you needed to worry the most.

"Pups." He thought he heard Inuyasha mutter sarcastically.

Then to his surprise, the hanyou closed the space between them. Her head gently leaning onto his chest, forehead against his sternum.

He was surprisingly warm, for such a cold demon. "Inuyasha-?"

 _Shut up, asshole._

Sesshomaru wasn't one hundred percent sure what he should do. But, when this sort of thing had cropped up before, Diaozuan had informed him that the best thing to do was return that affection. Besides, Inuyasha could always push him away if he wanted to.

Lightly, he lifted his arms and settled them around the hanyou's shoulders. Pulling her just a little closer. In the process, Inuyasha moved her head so that her cheek lay against his chest.

So warm.

 _Sesshomaru._

She didn't want to move.

Just for once, she wanted to be the one being protected, not the other way around.

Kaori, Kagome, Kikyo… Hell, even Diaozuan faded from Inuyasha's mind. Now was just for the two of them. This perfect moment of time.

Time seemed to slow. She could feel his heartbeat, his breath warming her hair. Thin claws on her rat robes. Claws that had torn Inuyasha's hide multiple times. Oh yes, she knew of the powerful forces just under that deceptively perfect skin.

And those hateful words that dripped from her brother's lips, that drove his sword straight through her chest, seemed so far away for the first time.

 _What is this? What's going on?_

 _No. No!_

Inuyasha suddenly jerked away from him, looking more nervous than ever. What the hell had that been, just then? She didn't need him for anything, ever! C'mon, Inuyasha, think!

"Oh, eheh- I uh, felt a little ill all the sudden. But I'm definitely better now. Curse this female body!" Inuyasha covered quickly, giving a nervous laugh. Sesshomaru just raised a brow. But luckily for her, didn't actually call her out on her obvious lies.

"Shall I fetch the pups?"

Inuyasha's expression showed a mix of relief, and nervousness when Sesshomaru changed the subject. " Ah…Kaori, is she…?"

Sesshomaru's face changed, his nose wrinkling in distaste. "The human wench will live." Then quietly, almost an observation, " I'm surprised you're not still screeching over this change of events."

Inuyasha's ears pinned back angrily. " Nothing I can fuckin' do about it. Might as well just suck it up. Especially for the pups."

It then occurred to her, looking at her brother's face, that he seemed rather tired. There were delicate purplish bags under his eyes, and his gaze was strained.

" Sesshomaru, when was the last time you slept?" Inuyasha asked accusingly.

The Daiyokai blinked. "I hardly see how that answers my question."

Inuyasha stared at him hard, poking at him through their connection until Sesshomaru snarled, " Half a moon-cycle, more or less. However long you were unconscious."

Two weeks. Inuyasha knew that yokai didn't need to sleep as often as humans, but that was obviously too long, even for someone like lord Sesshomaru.

"Yea, go ahead and call the pups in here. But then I'd better see you getting some damn sleep, or else."

Sesshomaru snorted, "Or else what, pup." flicking one of Inuyasha's ears with a finger.

"Oh, you'll see." Inuyasha said haughtily, watching his brother as he disappeared around the door frame. The moment he was gone, he looked back down at his hands, his fur prickling.

 _The fuck was all of that, just now?_

Maybe it was just this stupid girl body. Yeah, that had to be it!

Had to be.

Inuyasha filed away that little moment, not wanting to think about it, not wanting to acknowledge what had just happened between the two of them.

She didn't have too long, anyway- the minute the pups came into the room they mobbed her, grabbing tight to her legs or demanding to be picked up. Inuyasha laughed softly and leaned back, "Woah- hold on, slow down-" climbing back up into the bed so that she wasn't knocked over. The pups pestered her with questions, and between he and Sesshomaru they were able to explain more or less what had happened.

"We're just glad you're okay. We were really worried!" Ame said, her little yellow eyes looking sincere and concerned. She was cuddled in his right arm, while Inukezi was leaning on Inuyasha's left.

The human-pup had Kagome's black hair, and a hint of his father in greenish-yellow eyes, and hands tipped with claws. "Yeah. I mean, it's not the worst thing to happen to someone. You could've gotten your arm or leg chopped off-"

He paused as he felt Sesshomaru's intense gaze and added in a squeak, " Or uh, died, or y'know, turned into some horrible gross monster so yeah-"

Toshi said softly, " I think it's nice. I liked it when Diaozuan was in his female form. I'll bet Inuyasha will be a good mommy, too." Inuyasha seemed conflicted, but decided to ruffle the boy's black hair with approval.

"Yeah well, I'm gonna do everything I can to fix it, so don't get too attached."

Katsu interjected, " I would just like to say that, I called this, and therefore I won the bet." The Daiyokai lifted a brow- oh, right. Katsu /had/ joked about this before.

The Daiyokai and his son had made a bet that, between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, the hanyou was more likely to miraculously become female than Sesshomaru was to take his female form again. Sesshomaru never thought he'd lose that bet. Ah, well. It was only a few coins.

" Don't be ridiculous Katsu." Sesshomaru said softly. But deftly, slipped a few coins into the pocket of Katsu's hands while the hanyou wasn't looking.

Ame nodded, " I like it, too. You and I can bond over girly stuff. And your eyelashes are so big and pretty!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes, careful not to move too much as she ran a tiny hand over them, giggling a bit.

Toshi murmured, " Inuyasha? How /do/ you turn back, anyways?" and he and Sesshomaru shared an uncomfortable look.

"Well, in normal yokai it wears off after about six months, so I just have to wait until then."

Sesshomaru was surprised by the omission, but let it slide. Inuyasha had enough on her plate as it was. One little white lie wouldn't hurt the pups too much.

Sesshomaru's eyes half-closed, his head aching. So tired.

"Ame. Don't you think Sesshomaru looks tired? Maybe you and him can have a nice long nap, hmm?" Inuyasha offered slyly, handing the girl off to Sesshomaru. Her soft tail entwined with Sesshomaru's looping around it as she smiled, " Yeah ! Can we, Sesshomaru?"

The Daiyokai shot Inuyasha a look. Turning his own pups against him! The audacity of that hanyou. Ame meanwhile, looked up at him hopefully, her eyes infinite pools of sunlight.

He was defeated. " Very well. Inuyasha, make sure they get to bed at the proper time. They may use the training room until bed, if they are so inclined." Toshi and Katsu perked up a little, as did Inukezi. The training room ! They hadn't gone in some time.

Inuyasha stood and nodded, scooping up the two pups with Inukezi close behind. " C'mon you guys. Let's go!" She shoved the back door open and jumped off the balcony, off towards the training rooms which were in a different part of the outer courts of the Palace.

" Inuyasha's going through a lot huh Sesshy?" Ame said softly as he carried her down the hallway. It was sunset, now and the hall glowed with faint orange light. " Mm. It is unfortunately, commonplace for Inuyasha to be in some predicament." Sesshomaru said quietly, his eyes half-open. The fringes of his white eyelashes tinged with orange.

"And… and you have too." She added, her voice very small and quiet. He looked down at her with a measure of surprise. The same way he used to hold Rin, he realized.

Inuyasha's beautiful pureblood pup.

The murderer of Kagome, simply through her arrival into the world.

" I am a grown Daiyokai. I too, am used to such circumstances." He explained and tucked a loose strand of silver hair behind her ear. Opening the door to his own rooms with the point of a black shoe and then shutting it again with his heel.

"That's not a nice thing to get used to." Ame said, frowning. Sesshomaru couldn't think of a reply to that, so he said nothing.

By now, it had lost all of Diaozuan's scent.

Part of the reason Sesshomaru had been none to eager to sleep there. As much as he hated to admit it… the Daiyokai's presence had made it easier to sleep.

" I… I'm gonna work hard. And someday, all this stuff is gonna go away. It's just gonna be you, Inuyasha, and Diaozuan. And we're all gonna be happy." She said, stretching a bit in his arms before settling into a tighter ball. Shesshomaru carefully removed his armor, hanging it on a well-used hook near the door before crawling into bed.

" You think so, hm?" He lay on his side and pulled her close to his chest. Something his own father had done with him once or twice, when he was very small. But he still remembered.

Those were important memories.

"Uh huh. Oh, by the way, I learned something in training last week." She said, and lifted a small hand to Sesshomaru's. When her hand set atop his, it began to glow, and tingle.

Purification.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened in surprise as it spread to his body. Soothing his soul and aligning his energies in a way that was both intrusive but pleasant.

The pup had purification powers, just like Kagome. Just like Kikyo.

" That's quite impressive, Ame. However, do not use it on any of the other demons you spar with just yet, all right little one?" He murmured, petting her tiny arm with the length of his claws from wrist to elbow.

Her skin was still glowing with leftover purification, as was his.

"Mm. Will it hurt them?"

"Yes. Quite a bit." She nodded, content with this and closed her eyes. His own closed as well. It was wonderfully quiet here at night. Faintly, he could hear crickets. " Um. How come it didn't hurt you, then?" He heard her pipe up again.

Sesshomaru yawned, his canines glistening. "Not a lot of yokai can anymore." And when he spoke, his voice was low and quiet with sleepiness.

"Oh. Sesshomaru?" He re-opened one eye.

" How come sometimes, when Inuyasha looks at me, he gets kinda sad?"

The Daiyokai paused and kept his face expressionless for a moment. " That is between you and Inuyasha, Ame. Now, no more questions. Go to sleep."

" Oh, yeah. Sorry. Goodnight, Sesshomaru." She whispered and snuggled tight to him, a little pile of silver hair and pure white fur. He curled his legs up around her back, and his tail around them both.

"Goodnight."

It didn't take long for both to fall asleep.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Over the next few weeks, Sesshomaru kept note of Inuyasha's progress in the female body.

Within a few weeks, Inuyasha managed to get the sword to respond to her words. Even, to produce the wind scar, backlash wave, and a few other of his signature attacks.

However.

As Sesshomaru watched from the rafters, he knew somewhere in his gut Inuyasha would never be able to protect them properly in this state. No matter how tirelessly she trained.

Even now it took everything from her just to volley of a few of those attacks.

She often trained alone, and that was for the best: for if the guards of the palace spread news of how weakened Inuyasha was in this state, Sesshomaru feared for their safety. Someone was making them vulnerable.

Sesshomaru did not fear battle. It had been his soul purpose in life to pursue those most powerful on the earth to battle, after all.

However. The anticipation of battle with Inuyasha in his current state, and Diaozuan so far away…

Well. It grated on his nerves terribly. The pups weren't ready for battle yet. They were growing adequately fast- as fast as any human, thanks to their diet and the abundance of affection they received from their parents.

Yokai always grew faster when those two factors were present.

Then, around the time of sexual maturity, their growth would slow. And in Daiyokai like Sesshomaru, the aging process becomes nearly imperceptible after maturity.

It was a strategy to get them to produce as many young as possible. And sorely needed, for there was no higher honor bestowed on human or yokai than claiming the head of a Daiyokai as a prize in battle.

They were impossibly honored, revered as gods, hopelessly rich… and constantly in danger of losing their lives. Sesshomaru could only imagine the honor a yokai would receive if they were able to take his own head.

Sesshomaru considered leaving the training room, his suspicions confirmed.

Inuyasha would not hold up in battle, despite her best efforts in that weak body.

Someone would make a move on them and it would be soon. Before the six months were up, before the possibility for Inuyasha to return to his male form, for certain.

Sesshomaru knew this. Yet his informants were having a tough time conforming this. Whoever was moving against the Foo-Dog bloodline was covering their tracks awfully well. Must be a high ranking yokai, for sure. Perhaps one of Inukimi's old enemies, or an old enemy of his father.

It hardly mattered. He trusted his gut. Already he was amassing his own forces, training his own guards himself. Gathering mother's depleted armies and whipping them into shape.

Perhaps it would be enough.

But there was another problem to address.

Suddenly, there was a yank on his tail.

"Whaddya think yer doin' up there, huh? Get down here!" Inuyasha snarled, yanking Sesshomaru down from the rafters.

Damn. He'd been so lost in his thoughts that he'd assumed Inuyasha's ear twitch had been for the noises outside, not his presence.

He sat up quickly, brushing sand off of himself with his hands and tail and growling just a bit. So undignified. Only Inuyasha would think to touch him in such a manner.

"Do not mishandle me, Inuyasha. Just because you are in a female form doesn't mean I will be merciful."

"Ooh, I'm soo scared." Inuyasha huffed, drawing her sword. " How about instead of spying like a weirdo, you actually participate eh? Wind Scar!" The air filled with yellow light, and Sesshomaru held up Bakusaiga, blocking the gusts with the sword still in its sheath.

"Inuyasha. Stop this foolishness." His voice was low and cool. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was panting and sweaty, already quite close to her limit. Though of course, she would never admit to such.

" What if I don't feel like it, huh? Why don't you fight back, coward? Adamant barrage!"

Sesshomaru swatted the half-dozen glittering shards aside in annoyance, as if he was swatting a fly . The hit the wall of the training center, shattering and reflecting distorted images of Inuyasha and himself before embedding into he soft sand and beginning to disappear.

He picked her up by the throat, " Imbecile. That body is weak. You should be taking better care of it." And tossed her into one of the structural posts nearly. Earning a pained grunt in response, and seeing a flash of light as Inuyasha's sword reverted to its rusted form.

 _She does not even want this fight._

The Daiyokai realized suddenly, even as Inuyasha came for him again. Not even bothering with the sword- just her claws.

 _She is doing it to cover for another subject bothering her. But what?_

Sesshomaru dodged her, using his superhuman speed. She staggered forward and nearly pitched straight into the sand.

"Damn you-"

And even as they continued to 'fight', if one could call it that, he pitied her. She couldn't grab him. Couldn't land a single blow. How could she? With shorter arms, shorter legs- all her calculations were totally thrown off. Sure, she snagged his clothes or tail a few times, but it hardly mattered.

Sesshomaru wasn't sure how long it went on, but after some time, he noticed that suddenly she had been on all fours for some time.

He waited. His long tail uncurling from his shoulder for a moment and stretching out on the sand.

"Are you done."

Inuyasha was panting hard. He could see beads of sweat falling from her face, creating wet little craters in the sand.

"I hate this." Inuyasha whispered , tremors of exhaustion racking her body. So tired. So weak. How she hated it. It reminded her of when she was a child… thrown out by her mother's people, forced to live in the wild.

Scared every single day.

Sesshomaru knelt by Inuyasha's side. " Let us go." When he stood, Inuyasha stood…. But only for a moment. Her legs gave out, and she toppled into the sand once more.

The Lord of the West sighed. It was so very like Inuyasha to completely ignore her limits. Hopefully she had not done permanent damage to any of those limbs or ligaments.

When he went to gather her up, she resisted, "Don't- I can get up on my own-!" but of course that was a lie, and they both could smell as much.

He paused and showed her a fang, letting his eyes go red for a moment.

"Would you prefer to crawl back to our home? Advertise your weakness for all yokai to see?" He snarled, the bridge of his nose wrinkled in distaste. A growl was somewhere low in him, starting from his belly and escaping through the cracks in his teeth. If she kept struggling, he ** _would_** let her try to get back on her own. That much Inuyasha was sure of.

The hands that had been pushing at his arms and chin stopped. Inuyasha's arms tucked tight to her form, and Sesshomaru heard a miserable,

"Sesshomaru-… Fuck. I can't even protect the pups like this." A tense pause, then "… What fucking use am I."

Sesshomaru stepped out from the training suites.

It was nighttime. Sweet white butterflies flew among the pathways, each carefully planted with a variety of unique and rare species. To the human eye it was a grey abyss.

But to a yokai eye, it was a calm pattern of blues. Rather pretty, especially by the moonlight.

Luckily, the few yokai who were outside seemed absorbed in their conversations and drink and payed the two no heed. In fact, Inuyasha's new form was so small that perhaps they thought it was just a yokai carrying his daughter home.

"As if your only worth is tied to your fighting prowess." Sesshomaru muttered disdainfully. "You protected Inukezi without your sword, did you not?" Inuyasha startled in his grip, just a little.

Sesshomaru was right- he'd set Inukezi up by a meat stall, knowing the stench would be too overwhelming for any yokai to track him properly.

There were other ways of protection. She'd just have to get better at them. And keep training this body in the meantime.

"First time you've ever said something like that." Inuyasha muttered, looking up at the moon. She was surprised to see that it matched almost exactly the mark on Sesshomaru's forehead.

"Hey Sesshomaru. Look." She pointed up. He followed her gaze, his eyes showing amusement.

" Mm. You know Inuyasha, that does happen more than once."

Her cheeks went scarlet, "I know that, you ass, I was just point-" and then even more so when his gaze met hers.

He was making a joke. And it'd worked, too, getting her riled like that.

She huffed, crossing her arms and tucking her chin a bit so she didn't have to look into his eyes anymore. Sesshomaru kept walking. His footsteps were quiet.

"Do you know why the marks of the Foo-Dog often manifest a crescent moon, Inuyasha?" He asked. She hated to admit that she was a little intrigued.

" We'll you're gonna tell me anyway so go right ahead."

Sesshomaru snorted just a little.

"It has many different meanings, depending on what clan you hear it from. From our enemies, they say it gives us unearned power, and predisposes our descendants to become evil." He paused and gave it another glance. An almost affectionate one. In each of his own eyes there was a small crescent moon for just a fleeting moment.

"Father once told me that a crescent moon symbolizes hidden strength. All life on this planet is touched by the moon- many plants and animals would perish without its cycles. It brings strength and power to those in our clan in moments when others would fail." His voice was soft, now. Hardly above a whisper. Inuyasha had to strain a little to hear it.

"His blood is within you as well, Inuyasha. Perhaps… you will thrive in this darkness rather than wilt." Sesshomaru murmured, and Inuyasha sought out his gaze.

Unfortunately, it was a bit late for that. Somehow they were back inside Sesshomaru's home in the inner court already. Sesshomaru laid out Inuyasha in his bed and murmured, "Good night, Inuyasha." Before the hanyou even had a chance to reciprocate, he was already gone.

Inuyasha writhed around in bed until she was able to get her head close enough to the window to see the moon. Everything ached and throbbed. She'd pushed herself far too hard, but it was her pride that was injured more than anything.

Sesshomaru had seen how much work she had left to do. How this body was so different. How her arms ached to even wield her own sword.

How **_weak_** she was.

"Damnit…" She whispered, giving the moon a glare.

 _What the hell was he trying to do with that little speech anyhow? Hidden strength? There is no hidden strength in this body! Honestly, -_

She paused and grabbed the blanket, pulling it up to her shoulder, wincing and hissing in pain at the movement.

 _What was he doing._

 _Was he trying to… comfort me?_

She replayed the little speech in her mind. Thrive, rather than wilt in the darkness.

 _He was._

The realization was a bit of a shock. But then…he'd done it before, too, when she'd first found out about this awful form. That weird hug-thing that had happened between them that neither had mentioned.

 _Why?_

Partially she knew it was because if she was busy being a mess, that wasn't good for the pups. But… the other part of it, she didn't understand at all.

 _He doesn't give a shit. He never gave a shit. His entire existence was shaped around his not-giving-a-shitness._

And then a tiny, awful voice in Inuyasha's head said very softly.

 _He does, though. And you know it. Perhaps now more than ever. He's worried about you. Of course he comforted you. You're connected. Bonded by fate. You know the power of that mark on your neck._

 _Shut up._

Inuyasha closed her eyes, pulling the pillow tight under her head. There was too much to think about. If Sesshomaru cared than he wouldn't've spent half his life trying to kill him!

 _How long are you going to use that excuse? When was the last time he even touched you with the intention to kill? Do you even remember?_

 _I **said** to shut up-_

 _You **like** him._

That caused her breath to catch in her throat. No, no. Getting too close to the truth.

But it seemed like once these thoughts crept in, they were impossible to stop. A tiny sliver had opened in the dam and now everything was starting to leak through.

 _You like him. You want to be held by him._

 _You want to be loved by him._

 _You want him to look at you the way he looks at Diaozuan. **That** is why you were so angry seeing their little kisses and touches and watching them speak inside each other's heads. _

_You were jealous._

 _No I wasn't!_ Inuyasha's claws dug into the soft, cool fabric underneath her, ripping the sheets as she slammed her head down into the pillow. Repeating it over and over again until she could think of nothing else. Until her head aches and the bones in her fingers throbbed from being tensed for so long.

She pulled them out gingerly, wincing a little as she saw how much damage they had done. Whoops. Well. Sesshomaru probably had plenty more sheets. She crossed her arms over the top of her head.

 _I wasn't._

 _I can't have these feelings, so I won't. I'll just keep ignoring them._

But no matter how many times she told that to herself, Inuyasha's mind kept replaying the sensation of being carried in his arms. Like Inuyasha was weightless. Nothing at all. The thumping of his heart tucked away under all that armor. The tickle of moonlight hair. The slight indentation of sharp claws on his fire rat robes.

And it was trapped in that memory that she fell asleep.

Sesshomaru, of course, was still awake.

He didn't need as much sleep as the hanyou, and there was something that needed to be addressed. He was in the records area of their library, deep underground in case of raids, locked behind many doors and seals. Toshi was with him- apparently the kit couldn't sleep.

The area smelled of parchment, leather, and ink. Sweet and sour. The air was full of dust, and Sesshomaru smiled just a little in the darkness when Toshi sneezed. Sesshomaru went to one of the oil lamps, snapping his fingers to cause a tiny spark. The wick lit, and the area was bathed in warm orange light.

Quietly, he began skimming the records. Most were bound in yokai leather, as it endured the elements better than regular animal hide. His claw floated over the spines and their writing glittered faintly. Pulling out one, two, three volumes quick as a whip and stacking them on his shoulder armor as not to squish the kit in his arms.

He then went to a corner of the room. All among the records and library many desks and chairs were tucked in corners, and this was no exception. He lit an oil lamp there as well and spread out the three books. They were exceptionally old, and he was careful to handle the pages with only the tips of his claws as to not transfer oils and other contaminants.

This was going to take a while.

"Maru, what are you looking up?" Toshi asked sleepily. 'Maru' was sort of a bastardized version of 'mother' that Toshi still used with Sesshomaru sometimes, mostly when they were alone. He didn't much mind it.

" An answer to a question, kittling. Books usually produce answers, if you comb them carefully enough." Sesshomaru brought out a long kiseru pipe. If he was going to be here this long, he might as well smoke. With it, he brought out some supplies for cleaning.

" Would you like to help me clean this, Toshi?" The kit perked up, watching as Sesshomaru broke the pipe into the three main pieces. Mouthpiece, shaft, and bowl.

Together the two of them set about cleaning the pipe, Sesshomaru guiding the pup through the steps of getting out the old leaf, polishing it with oils. He checked Toshi's work carefully, making sure there was no leftover gunk in the barrel of the tiny tube.

Nope. " Not bad." Sesshomaru murmured, ruffling the kit's hair and then reassembling the three pieces just so.

He snapped his finger again to light the bowl and took a small drag, pulling the book a bit closer as the pips hung comfortably just behind his right canine.

"Can I have some?" The kit asked hopefully. Sesshomaru raised a brow, poking the little crescent moon on the boy's forehead playfully.

"In a few more years, kittling."

It was annoying, looking through birthing records. But at leas the author of these had grouped them into zodiac tribe. So getting to the Foo-Dogs was easy enough.

"Look, Toshi. This was one of your ancestors. They said he was as big as a dragon." Sesshomaru murmured, tilting the book so Toshi could see the illustration included.

It was a fox of enormous size, his seven tails spread and his ruff puffed out to fullness as he roared in victory over what looked like, piles of bodies.

"Wow.." The little fox whispered, touching the page with his claws gently. "What was his name?"

Sesshomaru tilted his head a bit, reading the full title. "Hyousuke the Terrible. But his full title was Hyousuke of the East, second of his name, the black-skinned, King of all flame-belchers, Destroyer of human hearts and Wielder of the corrosive flame."

Toshi blinked slowly, and Sesshomaru gently tilted the book flat again, moving on. Come on, Foo -Dogs. They were always in the back, for some reason.

"How come he has so many names?"

Aha, here was the section on Foo-Dogs. Sesshomaru's finger trailed down the lists of sires and dames, very slowly and carefully. Smoke drifted from the pipe, filling the air with the scent of licorice and peppermint.

"All Daiyokai have similar titles. It usually describes feats that they've done, wars accomplished, kits birthed… things like that. I have a full title as well."

The Daiyokai clicked his tongue in irritation. Wrong era. Too late. He set the book aside and opened the next one.

"What's yours?"

Sesshomaru's eyes glistened like molten gold as he scanned the pages. " I am Sesshomaru the Undying. My full title is Sesshomaru of the West, first of his name, crescent-blessed, King and protector of the mountains of everlasting mist, Destroyer of death itself, and resurrector of the Foo-Dog line." He stated mildly, taking another drag of the pipe as his hands flipped through delicate pages. This one was bound in human skin for some reason, but he decided not to share that with Toshi.

Toshi sat there in total disbelief, and Sesshomaru gave him a slight squeeze.

"Its' a bit… pretentious. That's why I don't often share it." Sesshomaru said softly, giving the shocked kit a soft look. It's also why he made sure Tiao-Wen and the other servants never used Sesshomaru's title around the pups, or Inuyasha for that matter. He didn't want her feeling left out.

" I don't think I'll ever be able to have that many fancy names." Toshi said softly, dejectedly.

"You will." Sesshomaru said, as if it were already set in stone.

"I had a bad dream, Sesshomaru. " Toshi finally admitted, after a little while of Sesshomaru reading through page after page of lineage.

"Oh?" The Daiyokia prompted.

"Mm hmm." Toshi's little body was full of trembles. " I dreamed that the Palace got attacked. And… and you and Inuyasha were fighting, but.. that you lost. Sesshomaru, you have to go talk to the dragon. The big one, in the mountains. He's gonna help you so that we don't die."

Sesshomaru raised a brow.

"Do you know what this dragon looked like?"

Toshi nodded. " He had blue scales, and a red mane. And he helped you out once before, but I don't remember how. And he's… huge." He ended quietly.

 _Helped me once before? He couldn't be referring to Youshi…_ Sesshomaru thought, a little ruffled. How did Toshi know all of this?

" When did these dreams start, Toshi?"

The kit shrugged. " A few days ago. Sometimes-" He paused tensely and then looked up at his father, clinging tightly to his robes. " Sometimes my dreams tell me stuff that actually happens and so, so…" He trailed off, looking a little lost.

"I will go to speak with him. Do not fret." Sesshomaru assured the kit, and he seemed to relax all over, muttering into his father's chest, " I was afraid you wouldn't believe me."

" You have not lied to be before." Sesshomaru pressed a kiss to the boy's dark hair and rubbed his back. But his mind was troubled.

 _Is he sight-blessed?_

It was a rare and dangerous gift. It certainly didn't run in Sesshomaru's side of the family. All he knew of it was rumors- that yokai with it got glimpses into the future, even tips on how to prevent future disasters.

He'd definitely have to speak to Diaozuan about this later. His eyes drifted back to the text in front of him.

Aha! Here was the right era. He scanned with a finger down the many names, huffing a little when he saw Inuyasha's name.

Father's blood and signature, signifying Inuyasha as his son.

It was never fool-proof, but most demons of any merit signed a contract sometime after intercourse with their mate, just as Diaozuan had with Sesshomaru. It helped when claims or disputes of lineage cam up, as when the throne had been empty after Inukimi had died.

Of course, no one questioned Sesshomaru's claim.

Aha! Here it was.

Year 400 ( by human records). Union of Inukimi and Inu no Taisho. Offspring produced, Sesshomaru. The blood and signature were there of his father, just as it had been for Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru gave an irritated huff. He didn't know what he'd been expecting. His eyes went from the blot of blood on the current page, to the one in the other book.

Hm.

He moved Toshi to his lap. The boy curled up there and closed his eyes, already mostly-asleep now that what had been bothering him was off his shoulders. Sesshomaru wrapped him gently in his tail and leaned foreward, sniffing the two dots of blood.

They smelled slightly different.

It was nigh impossible to tell via layers of other people's scents, the passage of time, and the decay of the material itself that the blood was bound to.

Yet.

He squinted. Now that his eyes were this close, the writing for Inu no Taisho's name was a little blurry on the section for Sesshomaru. As if… as if someone had written something else, then quickly erased it.

Sesshomaru growled and ripped the paper out of the book, holding it up so that the light shone through.

There was a name underneath Inu No Taisho's name.

Inu No Takahiro.

 _What._

 _WHAT._

 _Who in the seven hells-_

Sesshomaru carried Yoshi off to bed, then all but ran back to the records library. Snatching books off of the shelves now.

 _Who is that. I have never even heard of such a demon._

It was around three in the morning and the sky was a shy pink, when Sesshomaru finally found what he was looking for.

He slammed the book roughly down, his eyes all but devouring the definition and description when he finally found an entry amid the hundreds of sleeping volumes in the library.

 _Inu No Takahiro_

 _Birth to Death record- 100-1267_

 _Status- Deceased_

 _Species- Foo Dog, Dragon hybrid_

 _Description- Inu No Takahiro was Inu No Taisho's most trusted body double. Thanks to his dragon lineage and his time spent studying under the great Fox Transformation masters, he was able to imitate the Great Dog Demon perfectly, from physical appearance to personality. The boy was assigned to be the body double of the Great Dog Demon as a child and the two were great friends. Often he was sent to do assignments the Great Dog Demon disliked or to locations to lure away attempts at assassinations. He kept the Great Dog Demon alive for much longer than any other Daiyokai of that era thanks to his prowess. It was often said that the two enjoyed testing those in their presence, talking to Inu No Takahiro one moment and Inu No Taisho the next, to see if they could tell the difference. It was during one such assignment that Inu No Takahiro was poisoned by a member of the snake tribe and met his end. Due to his talent at imitation, it is unknown if he had any descendants, or several for none were officially claimed._

It ended there.

Sesshomaru felt like he couldn't breathe. The room was tightening up, closing in around him.

 _Mother didn't know. Even she didn't know the difference._

 _She put Inu No Taisho because it was the safest._

He sat back in his chair, covering his face with his hands for a moment. Then letting them slide down his face to expose his eyes.

 _Surely it cannot be so._

Sesshomaru at first, refused to believe it. But the more he sat and thought, the more factors stacked in favor of this strange, dead Daiyokai.

Factor one- Record keepers were very careful when writing names down. If it'd been a simple misspelling, that'd be different. But the entire name was written down and then crossed out. That indicated that at some point the record-keeper had been told that Sesshomaru's father was the half-dragon.

Factor two-One of Sesshomaru's first attacks was a small version of the now-perfected Dragon Strike. It was unusual for a Foo-Dog species to have a signature attack like that.

Factor three- all the nonsense about the Tessaiga. Giving Sesshomaru the cast-off technique to be perfected, just to be reabsorbed by Inuyasha's sword. Giving Inuyasha what was his by birthright… or so he thought.

 _It makes sense._

If Sesshomaru was not Inu No Taisho's son, than he could hardly be blamed for giving the pup a nigh-useless sword as an inheritance.

It would be the logical thing to do.

Inu No Taisho must have known that Sesshomaru was not his pup. Sure, he'd raised him as his own after the true father had perished, but he'd known. That was why he was passed over for Inuyasha. The Great Dog Demon had not cheated on Inukimi- had probably never even taken her to bed, despite being wedded to her.

Inuyasha was the one and only son of Inu No Taisho.

Sesshomaru glanced at his reflection in the small mirror hanging above the desk. Very slowly, tracing the two maroon stripes on his cheeks.

The truth of his lineage had been pasted on his skin all these years. Inukimi didn't have the double stripes- and neither did Inu No Taisho. And while it was true that occasionally markings mixed or morphed in strange ways…

The likelihood that it would produce a different color, and number of stripes?

Almost impossible.

 _What a fool I've been._

Sesshomaru's shoulders hunched forward- his hands balling into fists, his great blue demon-blood seeping out onto the wooden desk and slowly absorbing.

Well, he'd gotten his answer. The reason why his yokai and Inuyasha's were attracted to each other was simple- they were not blood brothers, nor had they ever been.

To the demons they were simply another eligible Foo-Dog mate.

When he looked back in the mirror he was a picture of grief and anger- fangs bared, nose wrinkled, eyes still yellow but ringed by blood. And on the lower lash line there were the beginning of tears.

 _Did all of it mean nothing? Why did you even bother raising me, if I wasn't yours?_

 _Can I even still call you my father, if your blood is not within me?_

" Who am I, father." He whispered to the pale dawn as he glared at his own reflection.

But his words went unanswered.

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Ooooh plot twist lol.

No fan of kikyo- okay you got me there. But now the InuxSess can commence, so that's good

Smiles-Not very well would be your answer, I think. Haha!


	5. Chapter 5

( two weeks prior)

It was about six in the morning when Sesshomaru arrived.

Arrived at the human daimyo estate he'd chosen to take care of Rin. She'd been moved a few years ago- from the human village to get a proper education and become a lady of the court. At first the daimyo and his wife had been none too keen to take on Rin- but Sesshomaru's coin soon convinced them.

Still though… it was quite a shock to the guards to find Sesshomaru on their doorstep.

"L-Lord Sesshomaru!" They scrambled to their feet, terrified of the demon dog. They were of the mind that it had been a great mistake to take in the girl- that any association with demons was bad luck. But their master had not listened, and now… now the devil himself stood at their doorstep.

" I must remove Rin from your master's care for the time being. Wake him." Sesshomaru said simply, looking rather bored.

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru."

The guard with darker black hair went inside to wake the lord and get Rin ready to leave. The other guard made a soft sound- something like a whine, not liking being left alone with Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru heard the noise and for a moment, their eyes met. The guard glanced away quickly in fear and this time it was Sesshomaru who let out a sound.

An amused huff of air.

He reeked of fear.

Humans.

It was Rin who came out of the gate first and at quite some speed.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" She wore a dark, many layered kimono with a pretty golden obi tied around her waist. Her hair was up and held in place by a pair of golden pins.

Five years had passed and already she was more of a young woman than a child. How the passage of time pained him so.

Sesshomaru was proud of the person she had become.

He was also impressed with her speed considering the restriction of her outfit.

" Rin-" He paused as she embraced him, surprised as always by her blatant affection. He returned the hug before setting her gently back on her feet.

"It is not appropriate of a woman of the court to show such affection in public, Rin." He corrected softly, rearranging the pins.

"I know, Lord Sesshomaru, but I am really happy to see you!" She giggled. Jaken was already safe in the Foo-Dog Palace- so now it was only her left.

The guard watched the exchange with shock. The demon must have stolen her heart! It was the only explanation!

And yet… for a moment, the guard thought he saw a great and terrible pain in those yellow eyes.

"And I you Rin. Do you have all your belongings?" He said, noting a bag she had brought with her.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru. I am ready to go." She said, giving him a little playful bow. The corner of his mouth went up, just a little, and he lifted his tail to wrap around her.

"Then we fly." He murmured, and he watched the estate disappear underneath them, turning to nothing but squares among fields of grass and rice.

"Is something happening, Lord Sesshomaru?" She asked, after some time, so softly that he scarcely heard it above the wind.

" Yes, Rin. I must have you in a safe place."

If they'd caught Inuyasha, Rin's hiding place would be found soon enough. He needed everyone close, where he could protect them properly until this threat had passed.

"Thank you." This too, was very soft. He nodded, but in his heard, wondered yet again if she'd have been better off without him. After all…if she had no ties to the great dog demon, she'd have been able to live a normal human life. Free of these dangers and sorrows.

Perhaps he would ask her about it, later.

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(present)

They were walking together down one of the many hallways of their home. Squares of sunlight decorated the walls, and he smells of the outside and the pups drifted in and out of her nose.

" Well, that battle plan is stupid, and I think you should've told them so. If not, I can start coming to all these stupid meetings." Inuyasha huffed, crossing her arms.

Sesshomaru got a rather interesting look on his face. " You lack… decorum, Inuyasha. Finesse." And then paused. His tail slowly sliding off of his shoulder and onto the floor. Giving little twitches here and there. His chin lifting.

Inuyasha sniffed as well, but she wasn't catching whatever was in his nose.

"What is it?" She whispered softly, and he turned to her, looking her over as if examining a specimen in a glass jar.

"It's you." His voice was soft.

Inuyasha tilted her head a bit, not understanding. "Me?" A snarl leaving her lips as Sesshomaru's hand went to her neck.

"Oi, watch it, bucko-"

As her hand moved up to slap away Sesshomaru's, suddenly, both of hers were trapped in his. She felt him move them both, pinning her arms above her head while moving himself to trap her there. Between the wall and himself.

"You." Sesshomaru whispered again, and this time his lips were suddenly on hers. She struggled her legs, maybe, if she kicked him- but no, his legs were flat against hers.

Pressing to make sure she didn't escape.

His kisses were ravenous, sucking her lower lip, pressing, biting, daring her to fight back-

So she did. She snarled and thrashed and bit and felt his blood and her mouth and…

And all of the sudden.

His kiss went soft. His lips were chapped and warm and so very gentle against her own. Like a butterfly's wing. It was hard to stay angry at those kinds of kisses. His hands dropped from hers, only to cup her face as he pressed more into her and she felt herself pressing back.

But she did not use her hands to escape, not this time.

He went to pull back, and Inuyasha was embarrassed to find her arms around his shoulders. A tiny sound escaped from her throat.

No.

Don't go.

He smirked. His arms went underneath hers and lifted her, pinning her high on the wall. In return her legs wrapped gently around his waist so she didn't slide down.

They fit perfectly.

He came for her again, and her claws looped around that ridiculously thick hair, twisting it into a ball at the base of his neck as they kissed. He bit along her neck and sucked with a mix of teeth and tongue, leaving tingling bruises that seemed to steal the breath from her body. Even his spit stung pleasantly, cooling her skin and leaving goosebumps everywhere it blessed her tan hide.

Her claw traced the line of his ear as he did so. She panted hard and bared as much of her neck for him to devour as she could. Her body holding him tight to her, ankles crossed. His warmth, his scent all around her. That heartbeat thundering in his chest and those huge shoulders cupping hers.

Protecting her. Claiming her.

 _Sesshomaru._

"Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha woke up.

Inukezi was at the door frame, giving her an annoyed look. She looked around deliriously, cheeks red and hair messy.

 _A dream._

"C'mon, if we wait much longer the pups will be late to all their classes. Besides, I wanna talk to Rin!" Inukezi hummed, adding, " So get dressed already!" before pulling the door shut.

Inuyasha forced her breath to go back to normal. Her hands were shaking a bit. She covered her face with embarrassment and disgust, giving a little sound when she felt a slight wetness where there shouldn't be.

 _Oh._

 _God, damn it. Stop it!_

Never had she felt so utterly disgusted in herself. Her own half-brother. Why did this keep happening? No matter how much she ignored it, it just seemed to be getting worse. How on earth was she going to make it six months, when it had only been a few weeks?

She was going to slip up in front of him.

And that was going to make raising the pups together… so, so awkward.

If she messed this up, would he kick her out?

How could they raise the pups together when she felt this way? He could never and would never, return those feelings. And she could hardly blame him- nothing grosser came to her immediate mind. Except perhaps, a brother laying with a sister. But brother and half-brother was hardly an improvement.

She could just imagine it, his cold voice, his lips raised in disgust and showing half a fang:

 _How can you feel these things for your own half-brother?_

 _You disgust me. Get out of my sight. Filthy hanyou._

And what argument did she have against that? Nothing, because it was true.

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Meanwhile elsewhere in the castle, Sesshomaru was having a hard time keeping it together.

The whole week had been a daze- the knowledge that he was not Ino No Taisho's son weighed on him heavily. He felt bursting to the seams. Yet he knew he could not share the information with anyone… not yet. Never had he felt so alone, such a fraud.

So lost.

And Inuyasha wasn't helping. She was having some sort of erotic dream or something. Usually Sesshomaru could ignore little things here and there and block her emotions when he had to. But Inuyasha was just a big ball of emotions. And as adept as Sesshomaru was at blocking her out, sometimes it felt like he was trying to stop a flood with a single bucket.

The Lord's face was rather red, the color trickling up to his ears as he kept his head down. Hoping no one would notice as he pretended to read through notes. While stifling down an unfortunate side effect of Inuyasha's arousal.

He was grateful to be sitting down. And for the table. The world needed more tables.

 _Stupid Inuyasha._

He thought, clenching a clawed fist. This was about the last thing he needed right now. He had plenty enough on his mind as it was, especially with the revelation a few days ago about Inu No Taisho not being his father.

He still hadn't told Inuyasha. Or anyone else for that matter.

 _Sesshomaru._

The Daiyokai's skin shuddered just a bit, breaking out in delicious goosebumps. And his eyes flew wide with surprise as he realized, _She's dreaming about me._

It was the first time Sesshomaru had read Inuyasha's thoughts without her calling out to him.

Inuyasha just wasn't good about repressing her emotions when they were running high. His hand covered his mouth, claws tapping a very slow rhythm. Hm. Well. This was a problem that needed to be addressed too, at some point.

Now?

No…

Still too raw. Inuyasha's mind was a bit of a turmoil. She needed to calm down before she'd be at all receptive to anything he had to say.

Yet, some tiny part of him was relieved to know that she was experiencing the same issues he was. The same urges. It made him feel less alone.

Not that he himself returned these feelings of course- it was only his stupid yokai.

It had nothing to do with Sesshomaru himself. At least, that's what he did to reassure himself.

But there was a.. softening going on. Even he had to acknowledge that part. No longer did Inuyasha's scent anger him, no longer did her voice grate on him.

Quite the opposite, in fact. A running commentary of Inuyasha's reactions to what was said during these meetings often brought him comfort and amusement.

 _When had that started?_

The Lord of the West frowned.

He did not remember. He **_did_** remember the feeling of carrying her, though. Her scent was a bit sweeter in this form, still lemongrass and pine. It certainly no longer bothered him anymore. He should have been more careful. Should have swallowed down and crushed these feelings before they had a chance to manifest.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

But later of course… later, they returned. Rin wasn't half as bad at watching the pups as he'd suspected, so he let her and Inukezi help Inuyasha for the time being.

"I have someone I must pay a visit to. Inuyasha, make sure the pups get to all of their lessons. If they have free time in the evening, they may go training, or out to the river to swim." Sesshomaru said smoothly, and Inuyasha gave a nod.

She seemed distracted and a little flustered. He could hardly blame her for not wanting to meet his gaze after this morning. Still though.

"Inuyasha?" She looked up at him, the little ears turned out sideways in apprehension.

"What." Her tone was flat, annoyed. Covering up for the inner vulnerability, as usual. And as he looked at her all of the sudden… It felt like it was the first time he was actually…

Seeing her.

The beautiful silver hair. The warm tones of her skin. The great golden orbs that were so similar to his own, yet so different.

Inuyasha. They had fought together. Raised their children side by side. Stubborn, egotistical, yes.

But also… loyal. Loving. Brave.

Traits Sesshomaru and his yokai had noted. Admired.

 _Desired._

His gaze went to those dark marks on her cheeks- the marks of Inu No Taisho. Involuntarily he saw his own hand reach up and a clear claw gently trace the mark on her cheek.

She startled at the touch- partially because it was quite unusual, and partially because of its gentleness. The flush it produced on her cheeks was a velvet pink, and..

And it was beautiful. **_She_** was beautiful beyond measure.

Sesshomaru's heart was racing, and his mouth felt suddenly dry. He drew back almost as if he'd been slapped and said quickly, " It's nothing." Taking his leave of her as quickly as he could.

 _What was that._

 _What's going on._

 _It cannot be._

Once he was outside, he looked down at the hand that had touched her cheek. It was still trembling just slightly.

It was happening again, just as with Diaozuan. Of course, they'd done it a little backward- mated first, and fell into love later.

But it had started just like this.

Being haunted by those little touches. By the sound of their voice. By the scent of their skin, especially when it was left on his own.

A need and want to be with them.

A vulnerability that Sesshomaru had had great trouble accepting. Yet now, the fox was his- his mark rested on Sesshomaru's chest. And so too, Sesshomaru's crest rested on Diaozuan's collarbone.

He now couldn't imagine his life without the fox.

And Inuyasha… Sesshomaru's cheeks flushed. Where did she fit in? Certainly Sesshomaru acknowledged that he was grateful for the hanyou's help in the Palace and with raising the pups. But he also could never anticipated that it would morph into …this. Perhaps he was drawing to conclusions. Perhaps Inuyasha had just been in the right lighting at the time. And when he went back , Inuyasha would be her regular annoying self and these feelings would be gone.

 _Yet._

He thought, bringing the fingers that had touched Inuyasha's cheek to his lips.

 _Her scent lingers._

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, allowing himself to enjoy it. He wanted to see her blushing again. He wanted… other things, as well, he was suddenly realizing.

These feelings had been bubbling under his skin, intensifying for some time and now they were starting to manifest. He could not blame his yokai for this...so the only other option was to ignore the feelings. For now.

After all, it could not be that Sesshomaru was developing… feelings for the hanyou after all this time.

His hand dropped to his side and he kept walking, his tail giving irritated flicks.

He wasn't sure how to move forward, which was an unusual and unpleasant sensation for the Daiyokai.

It was clear both he and Inuyasha were suffering from newfound…feelings, thanks to his transformation. Yet, how was he to bring it up?

 _Oh by the way Inuyasha, my father wasn't actually Inu No Taisho, so don't feel like your inclinations are anything blasphemous, they're actually quite natural, considering we've been raising the pups together for years now…_

He rolled his eyes. Yes, that'd go over well. Inuyasha probably wouldn't even believe him. After all, Sesshomaru was one of the strongest Daiyokai alive. It was hard to believe he wasn't the son of the great dog demon, considering his accomplishments.

He hadn't accepted it himself, quite yet. But… it explained away so many of his father's sins.

Most of all… it transformed the great dog demon. Transformed him from one who had spurned Sesshomaru's birthright for selfish reasons… to a demon who took in a pup that was not his own, and raised it with all the love and care in the world.

To a demon that had never cheated on his mother. A demon that had been loyal to one mate his whole life.

Inuyasha's mother.

If anything, since finding out the shocking news… Sesshomaru's love and respect for the great dog demon had increased tremendously.

 _Perhaps I am being a bit greedy myself. Wanting both of them._

Sesshomaru thought with a wry smile as he headed out to the stables. It smelled of fresh chips, alfalfa, and the stink of animal sweat inside but Sesshomaru did not mind. He much preferred the company of animals to the company of those he often met in meetings. After all, if an animal was plotting to kill you, it was fairly easy to tell.

It never tried to be your friend first.

Sesshomaru scratched Ah-Un's ears and down his mane and the dragon made happy little huffs. He was well-taken care of as usual- his mane was thick and clean, and his scales glistened in the darkness. Seemed that the master of the stables had enough sense to keep Sesshomaru's ride in perfect condition, as he was always popping in and out of the Palace.

"Ah- Un, my old friend. Perhaps I should find you a mate as well, hm? We could always use more two-headed dragons. Don't think I didn't hear you flirting with those dragons from the Fox Tribe Kingdom." He teased softly as he bridled and cinched up the saddle on Ah-Un's middle. The dragon growled happily, pushing his heads up against Sesshomaru's shoulders and arms affectionately.

"All right, all right. When this is over, we'll find you a nice mate. One of the blue ones, all right?" Sesshomaru said, his eyes crinkled with amusement. He led Ah-Un out and took off over the enormous walls of the Palace.

It didn't take them too long to get to the mountains of mist.

The place that Sesshomaru was the King and Protector of. As a younger Daiyokai, he'd sealed off the area with his own demonic energies, making sure only low-level demons could get through.

Why?

Simple- he'd discovered Youshi, great-grandson of the dragon of chaos. He didn't want anyone else to gather the dragon on their side. He never, ever wanted to face Youshi in battle. And though of course the dragon had noticed the barrier, he didn't seem to mind.

When Sesshomaru asked him about it later, he simply replied, "Before, I was harassed by Daiyokai left and right. I finally have some peace, and can eat as many demons as I wish."

Sesshomaru tied Ah-Un to a tree, making sure there was plenty of thick grass for the dragon to eat. He dug out of his saddlebags something to tempt the dragon into talking- it was never a good idea to approach one as old and powerful as Youshi empty- handed.

He sighed as he took it out. It was rather heavy. Some of the foo-dog's best dried tobacco from the stores under the Palace. Not as grand as his first gift, but the price of some information would be smaller.

Sesshomaru slung it over one shoulder, and headed to the mouth of the cave.

It was well-hidden behind a thick barrier of rocks. The Daiyoki slid between them, even needed to go sideways at some points.

Littered around the sandy entrance were the bones of literally, hundreds of demons. The hole into the ground here was gaping and enormous, a great circle of darkness.

A few corpses even stank of fresh fire and blood. Sesshomaru's nose wrinkled and his hackles raised.

He did not like this place.

"I, Lord Sesshomaru, call upon Youshi, Dragon of Trickery and grandson of Mai-Zei, the Dragon of Chaos." He roared at the rim, and then crossed his arms and waited.

There was a sound of sliding… scraping.

And then suddenly, he emerged. His eyeball was as big as Sesshomaru's entire body, and he opened it lazily, giving the Daiyokai a sniff. The force of it pulled lightly at Sesshomaru's clothes, and he had to wrap his tail around his ankles to prevent it from going up his huge nostril.

Sesshomaru could see a full reflection of himself in those terrible eyes, red and blue streaked, with a sickening gold right at the pupil.

"Sesshomaru the Undying. It is so nice to see you again in your preferred gender. What have you brought for me?"

Sesshomaru held out the bag in one hand. The dragon took it lightly in one scaled hand, weighing it.

"The payment is fair, but small. What is it you seek?"

" My son Toshi sent me. He has had a premonition that the Foo-Dog Palace will be attacked, and that without your assistance, there is a possibility that we will fail to protect it."

Youshi considered this. His breath was so hot that Sesshomaru could feel the edges of his illusion-cloth turning grey, then black with the heat, smoldering softly.

"The fox kit? He is not incorrect. Poor kit must be sight-blessed. You'd do well to keep that a secret as long as possible." Youshi murmured and shook out his mane. A few bones of wayward demons shot from it, exploding on the rocks around them. It then drooped gracefully over his blue scales like stains of dried blood.

"The payment for this is not adequate for what training you must receive, Sesshomaru." He said finally, leering down at the Foo-Dog demon. The Daiyokai was surprised. " I only wanted information. What training could I possibly require?"

The dragon snorted at that, his whiskers moving a little in amusement.

" Lord Sesshomaru. In the arts of the Foo-Dog,you are quite well-equipped. But in the arts of dragons, you are still just a lizard. And it is from your dragon blood that you will, perhaps, be able to save your Foo-Dog family from their terrible fate."

The dragon stretched his upper body, rolling his shoulders and then starting to groom his claws as Sesshomaru processed the information.

"What items would be enough to-"

"There are none, for my time and energy is of great value to me. However, let me tell you a little secret, Sesshomaru the Undying." He said. And all of the sudden, his muzzle was pressed to the Daiyokai's body. He reeked of blood and sand and death. His lower canine rested comfortably against Sesshomaru's shoulder blade, leaking blood and spit as the dragon growled, "I am sight-blessed myself. However, there is one line in the zodiac I cannot see the movements of. One bloodline whose actions I cannot predict with accuracy."

"One bloodline whose actions always keep my interest. Who satiate my near-complete boredom. For what can be more boring than to know all that is going to happen? Such is a dragon's fate, Sesshomaru. Be grateful that you yourself are not so 'blessed'."

The great dragon paused before whispering, " It is the Foo-Dog line whose actions I cannot predict. Inu No Taisho's decision to fall for the human woman and produce Inuyasha was entirely a shock and surprise to I. As are all the movements of yourself, Katsu and Ame. If your line were to end… why, my boredom would be complete. So, I will train you for no payment. Besides… I think it would be greatly entertaining."

Sesshomaru made a face, a little apprehensive.

" What exactly will-"

"We will be training your voice, Lord Sesshomaru. You can make others bend to your will… yet, you cannot do it on command. You only respond in high-stress situations. You will need to be able to command me many times over with your voice, before you are ready to call… her."

"Her?"

The dragon snorted. " In due time. Now-" He pulled himself from his lair and shook himself once more. His great girth filled Sesshomaru's vision as he laid out all around Sesshomaru, a huge cylinder of scales and fur.

"Go ahead, then. Command me. Tell me to be silent, or sit, or perhaps roar. Any order that comes to mind."

Even the Daiyokai hesitated. That power to command was quite fickle and…

The great dragon growled in impatience, his tail flicking Sesshomaru. He batted away the red fur in irritation.

" Fine." The Daiyokai let out a breath and concentrated. For a moment, his aura seemed to expand… but the dragon was watching carefully. Sesshomaru was relying on the Foo-Dog power in his veins. But he was not in tune with the dragon blood there in any way.

" Stand."

The dragon shot him an amused stare.

" Sesshomaru. You are a quarter dragon. A quarter **_me_**. You must find that strength, rely on it instead of your Foo-Dog blood. Now, try again."

Sesshomaru was hoarse by the time he returned to the Palace, and covered in little cuts and scorch marks besides.

He checked on the babies- they were all curled up in their bed in a big pile, as usual. The litter preferred to sleep together. Rin was in bed as well, and Inukezi was asleep beside her in a chair.

 _Odd._

He'd have to keep an eye on that. Sesshomaru nearly crawled to bed. And once near, flopped into it, not even bothering to take off his armor or shoes. He was asleep within minutes.

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It was the next morning that everything went to hell in a handbasket.

Sesshomaru woke to a scream from Inuyasha. He was inside her room in record time, and the smell of blood was in his nose.

"Inuyasha? Are you well? What-"

He paused as she reddened further, covering up a bloodstain on the sheets with her sleeve.

This blood, this was… oh.

Oh.

It was Sesshomaru's turn to flush red. Ah. That's right.

"I… ah, God fucking damn it. Would you get outta here? Just- get one of the servants or something?" She shot at him, gathering up the sheets and doing her best to hide her lower half.

She'd totally fucking forgotten about the damn cycles.

But still… it had been a lot of blood to wake up to. Inuyasha could hardly be blamed for freaking out. Her heart was still racing and her hands were still shaking.

And… and, it hurt. It hurt, a lot.

 _Damn this weak body!_

She cursed. Sesshomaru leaned out the door, closing it and speaking quietly to a few of the house servants. He sent the worried pups on their way, explaining Inuyasha had just been startled and that it was nothing serious.

While he waited for the servants to return, he went back into Inuyasha's room. She seemed totally unsure what to do with the soiled sheets… or herself, for that matter.

" Hand them to me, Inuyasha."

She gave him a look, and then he understood. If he took those, she'd be left with nothing to hide the other stains of blood on her form.

He looked around. Aha. He yanked open a small set of doors on the left side of Inuyasha's room. A small storage room. It should work, for now.

"Change in here. The servants will be back soon with clean clothes and other- supplies you will need."

"Don't you got somewhere to be? I told you, I don't want you here." She snarled as she quickly darted into the storage room and snapped the door shut behind her.

"Would you rather be in the company of a stranger?" Sesshomaru murmured, hearing garments dropping to the floor and the low mix of snarls and whimpers coming from the hanyou. If the roles were reversed, Sesshomaru would certainly prefer to be taken care of my Diaozuan or Inuyasha than a stranger… no matter how embarrassing it would be.

The hanyou made no answer, just low curses under her breath.

The servants returned with fresh kimonos, undergarments, and sheets, as well as basin of warm water and towels for Inuyasha to clean herself with. But they were surprised when Sesshomaru offered to take care of it from there. He shrugged, "I'm her marked one. I should be taking care of her." taking the items and stacking them neatly by the crack of the storage room door.

Sesshomaru knocked, " Inuyasha."

And heard a little snarl.

"Leave the soiled garments and linens by the door. I will get them cleaned. The other items you need are by the door as well."

He then waited on the other side of the room, arms crossed, eyes shut. All in all, it was probably a good thing her cycle had started today, as Sesshomaru had the day almost completely off.

Soon enough he heard her snatching things up.

Gently setting things down. And then the splashing of water as she cleaned herself up.

"Do you know how to dress yourself for your cycles?" Sesshomaru murmured, and was surprised when Inuyasha muttered in embarrassment, " Yeah. I helped Kagome before, many times."

A little while longer of splashing, and then;

"Okay I'm fine. You can go now." She snarled from behind the door when she realized Sesshomaru was still in the room.

" No Inuyasha. You are not fine- you may be able to fool yourself. But you cannot fool me." Sesshomaru muttered mildly. Heck, even her attempt at bravery and anger was betrayed by her voice. There was that little tremor in it. A tremor of fear and apprehension.

Inuyasha was close to crying.

He could sense it through their connection. But even if he didn't have that, it was clear enough in her voice. The splashing stopped, replaced by the sounds of shuffling garments.

Sesshomaru didn't move when she finally came out, though his eyes opened. She crawled into bed silently and curled up into the smallest ball she could make herself.

When he crossed the room to join her, he was surprised when she made no noise. Even more so when she actually let him join her, his longer body curling around hers in a protective manner. His legs folded into hers easily, and his shoulders cupped hers. He set his chin in the tan curve of her neck. Looking outside to the courtyard, and the rainbow of plants and sunlight. A rather sunny day for such an unfortunate occurrence.

"It's disgusting." She whispered after a moment.

"It is just part of being a female yokai." He murmured back in a soft tone. " The price all females must pay in order to bear pups."

"It's stupid. I'm paying the price for a gift I don't even want." Inuyasha hissed back, her fist clenching a bit. Clenching a bit more when a wave of cramps hit her. "Damn it."

"Shall I fetch you a potion-"

"No! No. Just…no." She said, a little too quickly. She then sighed, trying to curl up tighter, trying to hide underneath him. But there was nowhere else for her to go. He let her squirm and then settle, and settled back down beside her once more. His tail wrapped her feet, keeping them warm from any cool breeze that might sneak through the window.

They stayed like that for some time. Not talking. Their breath synched and their bodies warm.

Inuyasha's mind wandered. The body of a woman. The ability to give life. She'd never thought about it one way or the other because it'd never been a possibility. But for curiosity's sake.. what would it be like?

She'd already talked about it with Diaozuan, but she was still so curious. Was it warm? How did it feel, having a pup moving inside you?

She blushed, trying to shake these damn thoughts. She was being ridiculous. Who was the father of this phantom pup, anyways?

Stupid.

But, she already had an answer for that too, didn't she?

It was of course, the Daiyokai behind her. "Sesshomaru?"

"Hm?" His voice was lower with sleepiness and it sent goosebumps on her arms.

" Um." She turned in his arm and buried her face in his chest. He sat up slowly, pulling them both so they were leaning against the wall. And he smelled salt, and knew that she was crying.

"Thank you." She whispered, as he felt little shudders all along her body as she cried silently. He was a little alarmed, "Are you in pain? Should I-?" but she interrupted him by shaking her head.

"Why… why are you comforting me? I don't understand…"

Sesshomaru paused. His bonded one was clearly in pain, but… it still didn't seem like the right time to tell her about him. About the foreign blood that ran through his veins. He swallowed thickly.

"Inuyasha. When you fell for the miko, Kagome, were you able to recognize the precise moment when it happened?"

Inuyasha seemed a little irritated that he'd dodged the question. But, here in his arms, she was also willing to talk with him. If that kept him near.

She thought for a moment. Lines of sunlight filtered through the window, making patterns on their feet. Birds sang.

"No. It was a gradual kind of thing. I went from hating her, to tolerating her… and then, all these weird factors started adding up. I wanted to be around her. I wanted to protect her. But there was never a single moment… it was just sort of messy. It was almost like before I knew it, I was in love with admitting that to myself was one of the toughest parts of it." Inuyasha said, looking out into the gardens and sighing.

Damn. Such a strange situation. Yet she didn't want it to end. She wanted him to stay here.

She smiled weakly. " I was in the messy part of love for a long, long time."

Sesshomaru got quiet, then.

"Hey… don't you have meetings, and things?" He snorted lightly. " Not until the afternoon. Are you so quick to be rid of me?"

And Inuyasha backtracked, admitting, " … No." In a grudging manner.

 _Admitting it to myself…_

 _Trapped in the disarray._

Sesshomaru thought quietly, his claws playing with the sleeve of her kimono. Could it be that this was more than a carnal reaction to her being female? Could it be that he'd been repressing these feelings for some time now?

That they were only cropping up because they'd been pushed down, condensed. And that the pressure had built to a point where it was overflowing?

"I am comforting you because I enjoy your company, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru finally answered, lowly. His voice so cool in comparison to the sunlight of day it left little shivers in her spine.

"When you are suffering, it is difficult for me. And not just in the sense that I can feel it over our connection. I want…" Sesshomaru paused, a little irritated he couldn't find the right words.

"What?" Inuyasha prompted, her large eyes piercing his, demanding an answer.

 _I suspect… I want you._

 _Perhaps, that I've desired you for some time, and did not even realize it._

 _But I must make sure, first. It would be cruel to act on these feelings without making sure this was not simply triggered by the transformation._

Sesshomaru's brow raised when Inuyasha gave him a very strange look.

"What?"

Inuyasha choked out, " You… you didn't mean for me to hear that, did you."

But she'd heard. Oh yes.

Now it was Sesshomaru's turn to flush. " I didn't- It was not-" and he finally gave a snarl, gently standing from their position and murmuring, " I must go."

She let him, giving him a little nod as he headed out the door. She hadn't meant to pick up on his thoughts like that, but they had been so loud and so clear she could hardly have blocked them out.

Inuyasha leaned back and sighed.

 _Sesshomaru._

He was as intangible as the wind, and sometimes as cold.

He would need time to recover. But still… even, knowing that there was something between them, that even he was recognizing…

It brought her comfort beyond measure.

But also set a cold rock of self-loathing in her stomach.

For she didn't know what the Lord of the West knew.

Didn't know that accepting his affection would not be the carnal sin she imagined it was. What an irritating form this was- she longed for him when he was gone, yet was too shy to act upon her feelings when he was there. God, she hated this body beyond measure.

Inuyasha looked out the window for some time, seeing nothing. Thinking of her feelings, and the feelings of the Daiyokai, and wondering where this was all leading to.

Where it would end.

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No fan of Kikyo- I knooow lol. But, I think it makes sense. Aaand, it gives Inu No Taisho a bit of a redemption ark so that's good.

EatEmUp- Ehehe, yeah. Gotta mix it up, you know. #plottwistftw


	6. Chapter 6

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha watched the pups playing with the other yokai children.

Sesshomaru had a break between meetings- Inuyasha often popped in at around this time. She liked watching them play, and cheering them on of course. There were other yokai parents there too- their horns or ears betraying the type of yokai they were.

Inuyasha noted that they kept a respectful distance from Sesshomaru, however. And that made him just a little bit sad.

"Kick their asses, Katsu!" She yelled over the railings, her red sleeves wrapping the wooden barrier.

Katsu gave Inuyasha a quick thumbs-up before running off. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, a few feet away from the hanyou. He watched the pups with some interest.

Apparently, this was a normal part of their lessons- or rather, a scheduled break from them.

There were many other yokai children participating- horse, dog, pig, sheep. They were identified easily enough by the horns, hair color, or ears. They were in the same building as the training rooms, but a different section. This one was filled with fake walls and other things for the young yokai to play with between classes.

"It's Keidoro." Sesshomaru said with mild surprise, recognizing the way they'd broken off into two groups and watching the yokai go hide. Ame and Toshi were quite good- both their hiding places were hard to see.

" Mm hmm. Katsu's a demon, along with those dog and horse yokai. Toshi and Ame are on the other team, pretending to be humans." He said excitedly. Sesshomaru's tail twitched a bit, watching as the children played.

He was grateful that they had this opportunity. They seemed to get along well enough with children their own age, which was a relief.

"Eight… nine… Ten! All right, here we come!" Katsu shouted. There was a faint giggling from a few of the girls.

What ensued was a fierce round of tag. Many of the yokai 'humans' were tagged and sent to jail. Ame was sneaky enough to get a few out of jail, but ended up getting caught on one of her rescue attempts.

Soon, only Toshi was left.

Both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha watched in interest as he was cornered by Katsu, the little yokai's pure white tail flicking and poofed out in excitement as he taunted, " I'm gonna get you, Toshi! You're the only one left!"

But Toshi was just a little too fast for Katsu- going around walls, under fake bushes, over big boulders. The little yokai just couldn't catch the fox.

And jut when all seemed lost, something very interesting happened.

Inuyasha wasn't sure exactly what had occurred. But Sesshomaru was watching carefully, and saw exactly what had happened.

Katsu had, just for a moment, disappeared- and reappeared right next to the fox, tackling him down.

A total distance of about ten feet.

It had not been super speed though, as Sesshomaru possessed; there had been no blurring of the form.

Katsu had actually teleported the distance.

"Hahah! Gotcha!" Katsu shouted victoriously, and Toshi huffed, " That wasn't fair!" brushing himself off and flicking his own tail a few times.

"Holy shit." Inuyasha muttered under her breath, giving Sesshomaru a glance.

"Did **_you_** know he could do that?"

Sesshomaru shook his head, looking a little impressed. It appeared every pup's powers were slowly emerging.

And he was relieved. They would be strong, able to defend themselves very soon.

 _But not soon enough._

" It is a relief to see them playing well with the others." Sesshomaru murmured as Katsu and Toshi talked, mixing with the other yokai as naturally as they were mixing with the Daiyokai pups.

"Yeah." Inuyasha's expression darkened a bit. " I didn't get much of this when I was their age." No, indeed… the other kids in the estate wouldn't play with the hanyou, via the instruction of their parents.

"Nor I." Sesshomaru murmured, which surprised the hanyou.

"Seriously? But, but you were Inu No Taisho's kid, in the fancy-pants mansion. I thought you were totally pampered." Inuyasha said, gesturing to the hall with a swing of his hand.

Sesshomaru glanced around before explaining in quiet tones, " In some ways. Mother thought it was beneath me to socialize with yokai of lower status. All my lessons were private. I scarcely remember seeing a yokai of my age, much less socializing with them. I barely spoke after father died, until I met Rin."

In fact, his throat was often sore from what little he did say to the human-child. It was Rin who had socialized the Daiyokai.

"I suppose it must shock you to learn I wasn't the most social being in my youth." Sesshomaru said, dryly. Inuyasha's ears perked up.

Humor. The dried-up Sesshomaru was making a joke.

"I am shocked. Beyond measure." Inuyasha said with fake seriousness, gripping her sternum playfully.

Sesshomaru laughed softly, his hand coming up to cover his mouth a bit. It was the first time she'd heard a good laugh from him- not one stifled or choked by his ego.

It was the sweetest sound in the world to her ears. That, paired with the tiniest of smiles on his face, revealing those perfect white teeth- the way the Daiyokai's eyes had closed for just a second-

Inuyasha's heart jumped.

Oh, she wanted to see that again. She would do anything to see that smile then of course, she felt that sick rock of guilt in her belly, for wanting that.

His smile was gone already though. A soft look of surprise on Sesshomaru's face replacing it. Almost as surprised as Inuyasha felt.

"Damn. You've got a perfect laugh, Sesshomaru. How come you never show it off?" Inuyasha teased, smirking and shoving Sesshomaru's arm on the railing. He huffed, his tail puffing out with embarrassment.

"Don't be ridiculous, hanyou." He said, prickling. "That would be unbecoming of a Daiyokai of my status."

"I agree with Inuyasha. I want to see you laugh more often, Sesshomaru." Said a voice softly from his right.

He looked over in surprise. Rin had snuck in among the yokai, and had somehow overheard the conversation.

She was looking as pretty as ever- a purple kimono with cherry blossoms decorating the sleeves and hem. Her hair up in a delicate bun.

"You're outnumbered, Sesshomaru, " Inuyasha jeered, and the Daiyokai huffed, " Hardly." Though ,the little nervous twitches of his tail told a slightly different story.

 _Deep down under the snow and ice, there's a person in there. Every bit as volatile and vulnerable as me._ Inuyasha thought in wonder.

 _His mother tried to crush him, but…. He's still there. Diaozuan resurrected a part of him, and now I want to see the rest._

" Rin, you should not be walking the Palace by yourself."

"I'm not alone ! I have-" As if on que, Jaken appeared, looking rather cross.

"RIN! How many times have I told you not to run off like that-" Jaken then spotted Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. He bowed over and over to Sesshomaru, "My apologies, my lord! Her legs are a bit longer than they were before, and she likes to keep ditching me!"

Sesshomaru indicated for him to stand, " It is forgiven." Then gave Rin a raised brow. She melted under his gaze. " Uh… okay. I did ditch him. I'm sorry. I just really wanted to see the pups playing with the other kids, and make sure they were doing okay."

Sesshomaru nodded. But Inuyasha could tell that Sesshomaru was still agitated by her being here. In fact… now that she thought of it, Rin was attracting a few curious stares. Curious… and some, unfriendly. The girl was a little oblivious to such things.

"Rin- why don't we go practice sewing for a bit? Sesshomaru's been getting on me about that, so we might as well suffer together." Inuyasha offered, and she took the bait. As the two of them walked off, Inuyasha gave Sesshomaru a little salute with two fingers.

Sesshomaru gave a slow nod back. It was about time for him to leave, as well.

 _Thank you, Inuyasha._

He sent to the hanyou. Rin didn't understand, but there may be enemies here, too. There may be wolves inside the walls, and he wasn't about to take that risk with her.

Time for more training with Youshi.

Sesshomaru winced slightly at the thought.

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SLAM.

The dragon chuckled, flipping his mane from one side of his neck to the other as he kept Sesshomaru pinned to the rock, his little tail flicking back and forth in amusement. His huge clawed paw covered the length of the Daiyokai's body with room to spare.

The Daiyokai growled and started to go for his sword, but the dragon growled a soft warning.

"Uh uh uh, Sesshomaru. That's cheating."

Sesshomaru panted. He was tired and sore and irritated. How long had they been at it? A few hours, at least.

He could feel sweat sticking to his clothes, plastered to his forehead. His hair was brought up in a ponytail, and the silver strings clung to his sticky skin. Various claw marks and bruises littered his body. The dragon certainly wasn't going easy on him.

Not that he'd expected that.

He clenched a fist. Damn it. Perhaps this was how Inuyasha felt, trapped in that body. How was he supposed to use such a fickle power? How was he supposed to tap into a part of him that had been hidden all these years? And only a fourth, at that.

He gathered up his legs to pull himself to his feet, but Youshi pushed him back flat on his stomach.

"Youshi-"

"Order me to , Sesshomaru." He replied lazily as a few whiskers twitched. Smoke coiled lazily from horse-like nostrils.

Sesshomaru snarled and felt his temper flare- and something else as well. A kind of painful tingling in his veins- different from the feeling of his Foo-Dog powers.

And for just a moment, the whites of his eyes turned a brilliant silver. " ** _Release me, lizard_**!"

Youshi blinked and felt the claw rising against his will.

Sesshomaru wiggled out and stood warily, one hand on the hilt of his sword. Panting hard. His eyes downcast, nervous. Had Youshi let him go out of pity?

Gods, he felt so dizzy. And his throat ached. He touched it with a few claws, and swallowed gently. Looking up at the dragon apprehensively.

The dragon blinked slowly, then chuckled in amusement, "Ooh, Sesshomaru. Your voice gives me shivers." And the Foo-Dog's ears turned a brilliant red in embarrassment.

"Did you free me out of pity or-"

"No, no. Quite unwillingly, I assure you. Looks like the potential is there after all." Youshi said, examining his own clawed paw with some fascination. The limb had acted of its own accord, lifting in response to Sesshomaru's voice. What an interesting gift this Foo-Dog had.

"Now, lets see if you can do it again."

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Sesshomaru returned to the Foo-Dog Palace in the evening, and was greeted in the doorway by Tiao-Wen.

"My lord. News from our informers, and letters." A thin stack of letters was in his hand. Sesshomaru took them, feeling a pit in his stomach. He carried him over to the desk in his room. The wood gleamed with a thin coat of oil as he opened the window, then started reading them one by one.

It was confirmed, then.

The ones who went after Inuyasha, though fox tribe, were connected with the dragon tribe.

Even worse…

The Rat Demon of the east had reported strangely large groups moving into the South. Yokai of many different zodiac.

 _I was grateful for your discretion regarding the humans, and wanted to return the favor. I think they plan to attack your Estate, and soon. If you believe you need any of our forces, please send a bird as soon as possible, as it will take them a while to get there even by horse._

He was also pleasantly surprised to find a letter from Koga of the Wolf Demon tribe. His writing could use improvement, but Sesshomaru could make it out none the less.

 _Oi._

 _My thanks for making sure my pack didn't starve this winter. Here's something you should know- we're getting a lot of movement from yokai through our territories. They're all heading to the Dragon Territories. It's suspicious. Keep your eyes open. I'm sending some scouts to track them. Will send further letters if more information is found._

Sesshomaru's eyes squinted just a little. Interesting. So perhaps he had an ally in them both.

Better than what Inukimi would have accomplished. It would probably be a good idea to let the other yokai know what was going on, and soon. So they could decide if they wished to stay in the Palace or not. It was not the average run- of -the-mill yokai that lived inside The Foo-Dog Palace that Ryuu would be after.

It would be Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha, and the pups.

He grabbed the other book by his desk, sighing a bit. Finally, he'd found an illustration of the Inu No Takahiro, tucked away amid the dust and cobwebs of the records section of their library.

It confirmed his suspicions.

Sesshomaru flipped it open to the page he'd marked once more, his pale claws running over the faded yellow illustration gently.

The Foo-Dog had been a rather handsome fellow, to be fair. His true form essentially a dog, made different only by the dragon horns that protruded from just behind his ears.

It was rather a faded illustration- parts of his legs and tail were too faded to see clearly, and there was a water stain near the bottom that made it impossible to read his full title.

Luckily, this author had included both his human and true forms. And the one detail that was so essential to Sesshomaru had survived the passage of time.

On the Foo-Dog's cheeks were stripes identical to his- same location, same length, same color. Sesshomaru's claw rested just under the magenta markings, and he let out a sigh.

It was true, then.

He'd let out quite a bit of emotions about it before. After all… He felt as though he'd lost a part of himself. Being Ino No Taisho's son was his identity- his claim to the throne, the reason he could sneer down his nose at others.

But to find that his real father was simply a doppelganger, and a half-dragon no less…

Well…

It broke him a little.

Not that his ego was so fragile, it was just… knowing he'd been going after Tetsaiga for so many years, lost an arm, nearly killed Inuyasha multiple times, and… and for what?

Nothing.

It made him feel like a fool. An egotistical one. To have so much of his pride and dignity built on a sham. But… in a weird way, it was also a relief.

Now, he need not worry about ever surpassing Inu No Taisho. Nor did he have to have repressed anger and resentment towards his father's blatant favoritism. It was not favoritism to give your only son their birthright after all.

No longer did he see humans as responsible for Inu No Taisho's death. If he was protecting his one and only mate, leaving her alone to birth his son was unthinkable by yokai standards. Any mate worth their salt would protect their only kin.

Sesshomaru considered himself extremely lucky. Surely Inu No Taisho had had a hand in covering up his true father's identity… there was no way Inukimi could pull that off by herself.

The scandal if it was discovered that Inukimi's first born son was **not** the great dog demon's son would be unthinkable, especially since they were married. It was on her shoulders to produce an heir to the Foo-Dog throne. Sesshomaru might easily have been killed after scarcely drawing his first breath.

No- he knew in his heart that Inu No Taisho had saved him from an awful fate.

 _But, why?_

He wondered, closing the book and shifting his feet to the table. His tail wrapping comfortably around the bottom of the chair.

 _Why did he save me?_

He shook his head- he needed some air. It wasn't too late at night yet; the sky was just beginning to get shades of orange and pink.

Sesshomaru left, in search of that small space that his father often had run to for the same reason.

For peace and quiet.

It was a place far off in the outer wall- nearer to where the yokai of the place tended to their plants and animals. In some ways, similar to the human villages- but in other ways of course, much different.

Out here, was a clear lake. And in the middle, an ancient gnarled magnolia tree.

One was able to get to the little island via a vein of rocks- a pathway that Sesshomaru had built in his childhood. He was pleased to find that the other yokai children seemed to have kept rebuilding it over the years.

He made it to the little bit of land that the tree clung to and sat down, letting his tail float on the water. The buds stretched out far along the lake and were beginning to grow. Soon, the tree would be in bloom, and the entire lake would be filled with its magnificent pink and white petals.

Sesshomaru slapped his tail on the lake a few times, smirking when the ripples disrupted the water and bounced back and forth between his side, and the edge. Fireflies began to appear and filled the area with their soft light. Like a hundred fluttering stars, reflected in the gigantic mirror of the lake.

He then settled back, crossing his arms and closing his eyes for a moment.

"It is a lovely evening, isn't it?"

Sesshomaru nearly fell into the lake.

That… that was his father's voice.

He scrambled to his feet, making his way around the small patch of earth and grass that surrounded the tree. His father was on the other side, stuffing his pipe as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His armor glittered faintly, his twin tails resting to his side over the roots of the tree.

The Daiyokai stood gaping for a moment before managing, " How-how are you here?"

Inu No Taisho indicated for Sesshomaru to look outward with a tilt of his pipe. It flashed faintly green and silver in the light.

"We are neither here nor there- in the place between sleeping and waking. Though I cannot stay long. One of the many tedious rules."

Sesshomaru looked across the lake. His father was right. Everything across the lake looked like a strange watercolor… and there were no other yokai to be seen.

" You are in pain over the revelation with Inu No Takahiro. Talk to me, son." Inu No Taisho said softly, and Sesshomaru jerked a bit in surprise.

Sesshomaru sat down shakily.

"How… how can you even call me that? I don't understand. So much of my life, I spent after that sword, after vengeance on Inuyasha for killing you by proxy and now…" The Daiyokai trailed off, his yellow eyes beginning to water.

"And all for naught. An identity built on lies and deceit." Sesshomaru's head drooped, unable to even look his 'father' in the eyes anymore.

"I hated you so, father. I hated you for leaving me, and Inuyasha, and the ningen woman, and come to find out you saved me." His claws balled into a fist, bringing grass and dirt with it.

"I judged you so harshly, and from no position to be doing so. I… I'm so sorry."

" It is forgiven, son."

Sesshomaru flinched again, and the tears were flowing freely, now. Down his chin, meeting at the tip of his chin and falling onto the ground.

"Don't. Do not forgive me so easily. Why did you save me? Surely you knew the moment you saw me I was not your pup. Why did you love me? Did you, or was it just another royal duty to fulfill?

 _Is this why I was never enough for you?"_ He finally whispered. He felt his chin being grasped and lifted. His father's hands were as warm and callused as always. Inuyasha's hands.

Sesshomaru gave a pathetic little hiccup, suppressing a sob.

" My beautiful boy." Inu No Taisho whispered. " You were the catalyst to make me want another son. Never doubt that I was blessed the day you were put in my arms. It mattered not that you weren't mine. You were, and always have been, so much more than enough."

Those words healed parts of the Daiyokai he hadn't even realized were broken. Sesshomaru wept silently, bitterly, and Inu No Taisho slipped an arm around his son's shoulders.

" In every way, you've exceeded my expectations. I am proud of you, and I love you more each day as I watch you continue to grow and change, and shake off the cobwebs of the past."

He paused to wipe some tears from Sesshomaru's face, faintly nostalgic. He had missed holding him.

" Blood is no consequence to a bond like ours, Sesshomaru." The Great Dog Demon murmured, looking out into the lake and watching the way the fireflies glittered in the reflection.

" I am lost without you father." Sesshomaru whispered, his eyes red from crying. "I am frightened. My family…" He gritted his teeth, his fangs feeling like they were about to break.

Inu No Taisho gave Sesshomaru a look, and gently pulled the Daiyokai to his feet.

"Frightened? No, Sesshomaru the Undying feels no fear. Every time it rears up, invert that emotion- therein lies your strength. For what is the opposite of fear?"

Sesshomaru stood in front of his father, his golden eyes tinged with red. Body and soul heavy with fear and doubt. There was a slight tremor throughout all of him. As if the slightest wind would knock him to his knees.

Warm tan hands cupped his cheeks. His father's short, brutal claws just barely brushing those markings-those magenta stripes that were not his own blood. And his voice was a low powerful rumble as he murmured, " Courage, Sesshomaru. Courage for our family."

He then laid one hand on Sesshomaru's black chest plate and spread his fingers. Meeting the boy's eyes.

" I am always with you." Inu No Taisho's expression changed a bit. He set a hand on the Daiyokai's shoulder once again, and Sesshomaru realized in a muted horror that his father's body was becoming see through.

 _This is the last time I can speak with you like this, Sesshomaru._

"No-" He whispered. He needed this moment- needed a thousand more like it.

Needed to make up for all the time he wasted running after a sword and hating the being who had saved his life.

The Great Demon Dog gave one of his rare wry smiles- one corner of his mouth slightly up, revealing a little fang.

 _Goodbye._

All of the sudden, it was after dark. Sesshomaru was alone on the patch of earth, and all the world was a series of blues and blacks except for the fireflies that hovered.

He walked back home in an unpleasant daze.

The moment Sesshomaru entered their home, Inuyasha knew something was wrong. The Daiyokai's shoulders were low and he scarcely met the gaze of the hanyou, giving him barely a nod before making his way down the hallway.

A little concerned, Inuyasha matched his pace ( though that was a bit difficult with her shorter legs).

"Sesshomaru? You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Inuyasha tried to tease, though her breath caught in her throat at the look he gave her. Apparently, that had not been the right thing to say. He tried to brush past her, but she sort of jammed herself in the hallway, feet tucked in the corners of doorways and arms outstretched and braced.

"Let me pass." Sesshomaru hissed, his tail giving a little angry flip on the wooden floor.

"Sesshomaru, for god's sake _, talk to me_. You don't get to just comfort me, and get no support in return. I know something huge is going on, and you're taking it all on your own shoulders. That's not fucking fair. Let me be here for you- tell me what's going on. _Please_."

She muttered softly, " Don't you dare take away the one scrap of usefulness I have left."

Her eyes pierced his and he stewed for a moment, his tail doing little twitches and flips uncertainty. She wasn't wrong, it was just… it had been such a long day, he wasn't sure if he had the strength left to tell her everything.

The inevitable battle at the Foo-Dog Palace. The training with Youshi. The secret about Inu No Takahiro.

 _Where do I even begin?_

He sighed deeply and dropped his shoulders, leaning back to Tiao-Wen. " Please tell one of the servants to bring us tea and refreshments."

And then indicated his room with a wave of his hand, murmuring, " You may as well get comfortable. This is going to take a while."

And indeed, he and Inuyasha spoke for some time. In Sesshomaru's room there was a small set of chairs and a table, and it was there that they spoke. Him, with his tail curled over his feet and his swords resting comfortably on his hip. Her, with the fire-rat robes rolled up to the sleeves and her bare feet slung over the periwinkle-blue fabric. Inuyasha occasionally sipped from her teacup or snacked but for the most part listened quietly.

When Sesshomaru was finished, he sat quietly for a moment with the tip of his tail making little lazy circles in thought. Well, Inuyasha was right about one thing.

Telling someone about it, even without being able to necessarily **_fix_** the problem, did make him feel a little bit better.

In the end, though, he'd decided to keep Inu No Taisho's little visit to himself. He didn't want Inuyasha feeling left out.

"I wanna see the evidence." She said, and her voice was steely. It couldn't be true. Sesshomaru, her archrival, blood of her blood… it just couldn't be true. It was half her identity, but it was nearly all of his.

Sesshomaru tilted his head a bit. " Pardon?"

" About Inu No Taisho not being… you know." She murmured, waving a hand. It was unbelievable. Sesshomaru left and later returned with a stack of papers and books, taking Inuyasha through each piece of evidence in the same order he'd discovered it himself.

"I admit there's still a possibility, but the evidence is pretty damning." Sesshomaru said mildly after he and Inuyasha had combed all the evidence he'd collected.

Not to mention he'd heard it from the old man himself. But Inuyasha didn't need to know that.

Inuyasha seemed quite distraught- and he could hardly blame her. But… he'd emptied himself out earlier- grief, anger, hatred, pain. At least for the next few hours, he was going to be a little numb.

"Holy fuck, Sesshomaru. Are you- are you okay? I mean, goddamn… " Inuyasha whispered feverishly, giving the Daiyokai a thorough glance.

"I don't…" Sesshomaru sighed, looking down at his hands. " I think the pain will pass. Mostly, I just feel… quite foolish. I almost-" He paused and tensed, " I almost killed you over nothing at all. That sword was always meant to be, only yours."

"But… Sesshomaru. That was such a big part of who you- who you were. Hell, I don't remember a time you didn't reference him."

The Daiyokai gave a shrug. " I've spent the last few moon cycles grieving, angry, tortured. I am coming to terms with it." He looked over at Inuyasha and gave a weak, " Hn. I thought you would've been relieved."

Inuyasha's ears were pinned down, and all of the sudden, her anger seemed to peak.

"Fuck that evidence. And fuck the idea that we aren't brothers!" She snarled, grabbing up his kimono by the collar and yanking him close.

" I don't care if your half-hanyou, god dammit, we've been through too much together to just write it the fuck off, like, like its nothing, like we're nothing- I don't fucking accept that!" She was almost yelling, now.

He stood in irritation and pulled his collar slowly from her grasp. She let the cloth go grudgingly, giving him an angry stare and growling lowly. Her hair a froth of angry silver, teeth bared and nose wrinkled at the bridge.

"Fuck that." She whispered once more, and he cupped her cheek.

She stood, frozen and wary, watching him. Like a caged animal, she was. Breathing hard and fast.

"I never implied it meant nothing, Inuyasha. Actually, this opens up opportunity for us."

She tensed further. Good lord, it felt like her muscles were close to snapping. "Fuck you. Don't you even fucking say it. We can't just go from brothers our whole lives to something else. I can't- its immoral. It's disgusting. It's this damn **_body_** , and nothing else, that's making me feel this way."

Sesshomaru was not impressed.

"And frankly, -" She added with some venom, " I would think you'd be the one resisting this. After all, I'm the disgusting hanyou who you always hated! Blood or-"

Sesshomaru grabbed her, throwing her up against the wall and pinning her there with one arm. Her feet dangled a few feet off the ground and she started kicking and swiping.

 _No, Inuyasha. I felt the stirrings of something else when your pup grew within me._

 _And I suspect, you've been feeling something similar for some time._

 _Otherwise… we wouldn't have such inclinations now_.

"Shut up! Get outta my head, asshole!" She whined. Her growling peaked and she writhed, scratching his cheek with her claws.

He felt the hot blood down one cheek and leaned in, opening his mouth right next to her ear.

Letting out a very low and dominant growl. Something that ripped upwards from his belly and seemed to vibrate the very floor: his ribcage contracting with the power of it. A hot drop of saliva dripped onto the skin of her neck and slid down her collarbone.

She winced and went still. Her ears tucking tight to her head and her chin turning to one side. And he watched as she slowly, exposed part of her neck to his teeth.

Wanting to be forgiven.

Inuyasha wasn't quite sure why the hell she was doing it- but it was body language, and a language Sesshomaru understood well.

He could feel everything that she was feeling, in that moment. And yes, there was fear, and anger, and confusion, and embarrassment…

But he was most interested in the one Inuyasha was trying desperately to conceal.

" Inuyasha." He whispered against her neck, making sure she could feel the warmth of his breath. Teasing? Yes. Cruel? Oh, yes.

But a sure-fire way to make Inuyasha lose control of her emotions. One way or another.

And he was right…

Even as she cursed him and swore and tried to wriggle free, he felt it through their bond. Streaking down from the crescent moon on his forehead. An easily identifiable sensation.

Arousal. And he was affected by it too. Wanting to run his fangs along her skin and bite down hard. Wanting to take all this indecision out of her once and for all.

For the more he interacted with her, the surer he was that these feelings had been present for some time.

That he , like Inuyasha, had been trapped in the messiness for some time. Ignoring it, pushing it away.

But repressing it did not cure the disease. And now it was blooming at an alarming rate.

"If we are not brothers, it leaves opportunity for us to become more. Perhaps it's time for you and your- **_inclinations_** , to be more in sync, Inuyasha." He snarled and removed his arm. She dropped to the floor gracelessly and gathered herself up as best she could. Shooting him the best glare she could manage and receiving only an amused stare in return.

Well. She'd done her job of comforting him, and he'd felt a little bad about the ending.

But… it was time for them both to start coming to terms with this.

With whatever was beginning between them.

For what good would it be, hiding it forever? Living a life in desperate want?

Sesshomaru didn't want that. And he wouldn't accept that from the hanyou, especially now that he'd felt her emotions.

Sesshomaru cared not for her stupid honor, or ego, or whatever made her think what was happening was immoral somehow. Now that the matter of blood had been cleared up, it was rather simple to him.

She took his leave, and he gathered up the books quietly, then fell into a dreamless sleep.

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No fan of Kikyo- Hahah yeah and no surprise, Sesshomaru's gonna use that vulnerability to his advantage lol

Smiles-Yeah.. he's not super happy about it. Mostly because he knows the potential doors it could open up ~ But Diaozuan will be happy, I think. xD He's a shapeshifter so he's always up for mixing things up~


	7. Chapter 7

Inuyasha flopped down on her bed, seething.

Stupid Sesshomaru. He was wrong.

 _And I suspect, you've been feeling something similar for some time._

 _Otherwise… we wouldn't have such inclinations now_.

She rolled over onto her back, rubbing her arms gently. It was always with her now, crawling under her skin. Just as it had been before she ever got forced into this ridiculous form.

Every time he touched her, affectionate or not, the sensation of his skin lingered. Cool , tingly. An incessant itch that only went away when he was near. Holding her.

 _What's wrong with me?_

 _How long am I going to be able to … keep lying? To him? To myself?_

She wondered as she ran a hand through her long hair.

 _I'm just scared. He's been my brother so long that even thinking about switching to anything else seems wrong, somehow._

Sesshomaru was not a patient man. Now that he'd tasted her feelings, she was sure she had precious little time to decide to put the brakes on this or… not. He would force a decision out of her and soon. And she needed to be prepared for all that would mean either way.

She should have been relieved, hearing the words that it 'opened up opportunity'. But instead, it'd sent her into a panic. She thought she'd still have time to mull everything over, figure out what the hell was going on.

But now that she knew he was beginning to feel something as well, she'd just panicked.

Why?

Well. Perhaps the answer was simple. _How the hell could he ever feel that way about me? Is it just some sort of cruel trick? What happens when I become a man again?_

Inuyasha glanced up at the ceiling, her golden eyes tracing the intricate wood carvings there.

 _I mean… I'm just a half-breed. I will never be worthy of him. So why even bother? Seems like a waste of time._

No amount of bond-marks would take away the human blood that ran through her veins. Her nose wrinkled in distaste even trying to imagine it.

Her, trying to stand by his side? No… it'd be like a peasant farmer standing next to a god.

She'd always felt inadequate in his presence. Trying to be anything more than what they were would just amplify those feelings.

She'd be like a little shriveled hobgoblin next to him. Nothing more than a half-breed. It'd taken years for her to feel like enough for Kagome… She'd probably be dead by the time she ever felt like enough for him.

 _I love you as a half-demon, Inuyasha._

Kagome's voice whispered in the shell of an ear, and Inuyasha winced.

As if Sesshomaru would ever express the same sentiment.

Diaozuan made sense- he was a second-son of the Fox Demon Tribe leader. Full of ranks and titles and devastatingly handsome to boot… the asshole. Sesshomaru choosing him as a mate seemed to only make sense, especially after finding out they were near-matched for strength in battle.

When they stood together, the markings on their faces glistening against perfect skin, their armor shining in the sunlight… it seemed only natural that they would be a mated pair. They complimented each other physically, and emotionally. His darkness, to Sesshomaru's pale moonlight. Diaozuan was cheerful, teasing, mature… he drew out Sesshomaru's grudging affection by his mere presence.

She and Sesshomaru, on the other hand?

What the hell did she bring out in him that was good? She couldn't think of a single-

Well, she had made him laugh.

 _'You and your pups changed me. Don't you understand that, stupid hanyou?'_

 _How exactly have I changed him?_

She groaned. It was so late, and she was so tired, but these were the sorts of questions that needed answering.

 _Diaozuan gave him love._

 _And I…_

She thought fiercely. Even today, when he'd stayed and told her what was happening instead of just brushing her away.

 _I'm giving him some humanity, I suppose._

Inukezi knocked quietly on the door. "Inuyasha? Can I come in?" And she nodded, waving a hand, "Yeah, sure."

He came in, sitting down next to her bed and asking after a moment, " You okay? It sounded like you guys were yelling at each other. Well- mostly you, actually. Sesshomaru doesn't really yell."

Inuyasha sighed, setting a hand gently on her son's hand. " We're fine, Inukezi. We just have intense discussions sometimes. And you know how my temper is." Inukezi looked uncertainly into her eyes before nodding. His green eyes were warm, that black hair that reminded him so much of Kagome.

Her precious son.

"Then… can I sleep in here tonight? The pups keep trying to sneak into my room and sleep on me, and they squish me." He admitted with a soft laugh.

" Of course." Inuyasha made room, and soon the two of them were fast asleep.

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"There she is."

"Shh, she'll hear you!"

Inukezi looked towards the door with amusement. Inuyasha woke up and looked around groggily, spotting a bunch of very small shadows by the door.

"Yes?"

Katsu opened the door reluctantly, giving the others an irritated look. He'd wanted to surprise Inuyasha.

"Hey. You should come play with us. We know you have the day off today." It was true- today was a weekend, and Sesshomaru rarely had anything planned on those days for Inuyasha. Which was a relief because she did not feel at all up for going to any sort of meeting.

" Ugh. Can't I sleep for another five minutes?" She asked, looking blearily through the window. It still seemed fairly early.

" Nope. You promised that if we let you sleep in last weekend, you'd get up early to play with us today." Ame said matter-of-factly. Toshi nodded in the background.

Inuyasha groaned and flopped back down, pulling the covers over her head. "Leamme alone."

The pups started into the room, and Katsu said, " If you don't get up we'll be forced to take drastic measures." And the lump that was Inuyasha huffed.

"All right. Get her!" All at once, the pups transformed into their dog forms. And, jumped onto the bed, grabbing Inuyasha's fire rat robe and gently tugging, trying to get her out the door.

Inukezi watched with amusement. Clearly, they'd been planning the attack for some time.

"Hey! Hey! Why you little-!" Inuyasha was pulled out of bed and onto the floor, little yips and laughs coming from the pups as they started dragging her out into the hallway. She managed to grab Katsu and held the big pup to her chest, nooging him and snarling, " You're to blame for all of this , aren't you? Ooh, you're gonna get it! Don't think you're too young to get a whooping!"

Unfortunately, Ame had a good grip on her left pant leg, and Toshi had her right leg.

"Inukezi-"

Before Inuyasha had a chance to finish, Inukezi smirked, " Oh no, I'm not helping you out of this. I was there when you promised to play with them. No way you're getting out of it so easily."

Inuyasha gave him an offended glare. " My own flesh and blood. You'll pay for this, Inukezi!"

Together, Ame and Toshi started dragging Inuyasha down the hallway while the hanyou cursed and writhed in protest.

"Noooooooo!" Inuyasha said dramatically as she was dragged down the hallway, laying on her back and keeping Katsu firmly in her arms, punishing him by rubbing all of his fur backwards. Inukezi followed quietly.

Sesshomaru opened the door to see what all the rukus was about- only to see Inuyasha being slowly dragged down the hallway by a little white pup, and a little black fox. Both were almost up to his knees now and perfectly capable of dragging someone of Inuyasha's size.

Inuyasha paused when she saw him at first- still feeling an awkwardness left over from yesterday. But she was playing, and she didn't want the pups picking up on the off vibe between them. So he saw her shrug of the feelings, and reach out to him with a smile.

"Sesshomaru- help me." She whispered dramatically as she was dragged by.

The Daiyokai smirked, just a little.

" Oh dear, I'm afraid my arm just is not long enough." He said in a low, teasing tone, reaching out to Inuyasha but stopping short of actually grabbing her hand.

"Ame- make sure the others aren't too rough with Inuyasha. She's a little less durable in that form." He instructed, and the little white pup wagged her tail and gave a bark before dragging Inuyasha the rest of the way to the backyard.

"Traitor!" Inuyasha said with some feeling. Sesshomaru watched them drag her out into the grass, then proceed to tackle her again. She was laughing, pushing each of them away. Occasionally, she used her yokai strength to throw them a good distance, which they seemed to enjoy.

After a moment or two, Katsu somehow managed to escape from Inuyasha and ran down the hallway to Sesshomaru's room.

"Hey, can you come play with us too, Sesshomaru?" He asked hopefully. His little face was flushed from running, and the marks of Inu No Taisho stood out proudly blue on his cheeks. The Daiyokai blinked in surprise and nodded, " Very well. For a little while." Ruffling up the boy's hair with one clawed hand and following him outside.

"Sess- could you please go into your dog form too? Just like Ame and Toshi!" He asked, holding tight to Sesshomaru's red and white sleeve. He glanced around the backyard, assessing. He could probably fit, but it would certainly be a snug fit.

"Inuyasha, could you gather them up for a second?" He asked softly. They shared a bit of an awkward glance before she said, " Ah- yeah-" and held down Ame and Toshi.

Sesshomaru's eyes changed to a brilliant sapphire, the iris turning blood-red. And suddenly, there was a huge gust of wind as his form exploded outward, soon morphing into that of a giant demon dog.

He moved carefully, slowly sitting down across from Inuyasha and the pups. His movements flattened the grass and shook some leaves from the trees. Even Inuyasha had to admit that she was impressed. His demon form had grown tremendously since he and Diaozuan had become mates.

Perhaps, he was now the same size as the great dog demon himself, if not larger. His thick white fur glistened in the sunlight, and the whiskers of his muzzle twitched.

"Yaaaaay!" Katsu yelled, jumping off the porch and transforming into his own demon form, starting to crawl up Sesshomaru's side. The other pups quickly followed suit, making Sesshomaru an obstacle by climbing up his shoulders and sliding down off of his tail.

Inuyasha was surprised when Inukezi joined in as well. Sesshomaru paid close attention to them, lifting his enormous muzzle and catching the pups if they slid a bit too much in his slippery fur. He also flicked his tail as they slid off, launching them a good ten or fifteen feet into a leaf pile. They accepted this with squeaks and barks of laughter.

Soon though, he noted Inuyasha watching from the porch.

Sesshomaru sighed. He leaned forward, his upper and lower canines catching in Inuyasha's red robes.

" Hey. Hey ! Put me down, Sesshomaru, damn it –" Sesshomaru lifted Inuyasha carefully and then set her down in the area between his folded paws. Just underneath his enormous mane.

"I was perfectly fine where I was-" Her next sentence was interrupted by tongue.

A gigantic, warm dog-demon tongue that covered her whole body in a single swipe.

She sat in stupid amazement, thoroughly coated in hot dog saliva. And when she looked up, she could see unmistakable amusement in Sesshomaru's huge blue-and-red eyes. Perhaps his way of apologizing for yesterday's outburst.

Or more likely, because he found it amusing.

"Hey, look, you guys! Inuyasha got slimed!" Toshi said, clinging to Sesshomaru's shoulder. Bundles of fur in each hand.

"Oh, oh! Me next!" Ame shouted, sliding down off the side of Sesshomaru and running to the front as fast as she could.

One by one, he licked all the pups- even Inukezi, who seemed a little surprised. Each of them in turn shook themselves out- shoulders rotating one way, hips going the opposite way. Even Inuyasha used this method to get herself dry before trying to crawl out of the little den of Sesshomaru's paws.

A large black-padded paw created a wall that persuaded Inuyasha to settle back between his huge legs. He and Sesshomaru played with the pups for some time. When they started to slow, clearly needing naps, Inukezi and Inuyasha put them to bed.

Inuyasha paused when he saw Sesshomaru was still in his dog form outside.

 _Just leave it._

And she almost did too. But.. damn. He was so cute in this form. Slavering, murderous jaws and all. His ears perked up when a flock of birds passed overhead, and his tail twitched faintly.

 _Okay, fine, but… just for a minute._

"What are you doing?" She asked softly, leaning on one of the red wooden posts of the porch. She saw one gigantic triangle-shaped ear twitch faintly before she heard his voice in her head.

 _Relaxing. I have not taken this form in some time. It's pleasant._

Inuyasha pondered this. Did Sesshomaru feel restrained in his human form sometimes, if this was his true form? It wasn't ever something she considered before, but it made sense. The pups were always in and out of their forms.

Maybe Sesshomaru's human form was like wearing a shirt that was just a bit too tight.

 _Something like that._

She heard him answer and startled a bit. Damn. She hadn't even meant for him to hear that. It seemed like their connection was getting stronger all the time and she didn't like it.

"Can I join you? I won't.. start anything."

There was a moment of silence before Sesshomaru dipped his head, _You may._

She jumped down off the back of the porch and walked by him. Keeping a hand lightly on his side in amazement. Even laying down, he was easily three stories tall. His form creating a shadow that she walked in as she made her way to his head.

 _I'm always in someone's shadow, aren't I._

Seeing his paws were tucked inwards like before, she asked permission before sitting there. His head was tall and straight, and he faced the area of the Palace that turned into farms and cropland. His black nose twitching and occasionally huffing out air.

She leaned back against his chest. His fur was very thick, and very warm. She ran her claws over the shorter, denser fur on his leg, pausing.

There was a line on his arm. A line where no fur grew. It was very small, but wrapped all the way around the circumference of his arm.

 _This is where I cut off his arm._

She thought, wincing.

"I'm sorry."

 _For?_

"For this. I mean, I'm not sorry that I ended up with Tetsaiga- I was just defending myself. But… I panicked, and I took something away from you that I shouldn't have."

A great red eye looked at him thoughtfully for a moment.

 _It was the price I paid for my own egoism and cruelty. It helped me to stop perusing the Tetsaiga. It helped me to grow. So you needn't apologize for it._

A great white muzzle leaned down, the stiff whiskers tickling Inuyasha's face and arm as he received a little nuzzle. The fur on his face was especially pleasing- extra short, and as soft as velvet.

 _The sentiment is appreciated though._

Inuyasha sighed, and nodded, pushing away the snout after a moment with a huffed, " All right, that's enough. I've got plenty of drool on me already."

She then reached up instead, following the great inverted upside-down 'v' that made up Sesshomaru's jaw.

Gently, scratching at it with her claws.

 _What are you doing?_

" I'm trying to see if you like being scratched. Most dog's like getting scratched on their chins, if you happen to find the right spot-" She explained, continuing the search.

She knew she'd found the right spot when she felt his head lean into it. She shifted, using both hands to rough up that spot on his jaw, chuckling softly to herself.

"Heheh. Found it."

 _Do not-_

Sesshomaru soon found his words failing him at the promise of a good chin-scratch. He growled faintly in pleasure, and Inuyasha felt one of his back legs tapping the ground lightly in time with her scratches.

She laughed, bracing herself against his upper leg and giving him a good long scratching until his tongue lolled out and her arms started to ache.

"There we go. Bet you're in a much better mood now, huh?" She teased, slapping his chest fur.

His tongue tucked back into his mouth and he snorted, giving a little shake of his head.

 _Ridiculous._

But she could feel his tail giving a few low wags.

She leaned back once more and closed her eyes contentedly. He very gently dropped his head and she made sure to move her legs out of the way.

Inuyasha tucked Sesshomaru's ear over her shoulder, and he gave a bit of a growl before relenting.

They stayed quietly like that for some time, Sesshomaru thinking of the future and Inuyasha, thinking of the past.

 _If we do end up mating, the whole court will know one of us is not the son of Inu No Taisho._

Sesshomaru thought with a sinking in his stomach. He'd been avoiding that truth, but that didn't make it disappear.

 _Well. Katsu and Ame will still hold their places. And if the others decide I am not fit merely based on blood I will of course, step down._

He had them in a bit of a rock and a hard place. Inuyasha was unfit, being a hanyou. And all the other Foo-Dogs were not Daiyokai- many, had never even held office, and would be easily crushed under the weight of ruling a Palace.

Sesshomaru was trained for that since he was born.

In his heart, Sesshomaru sincerely doubted they would take him from the throne. For the alternative would certainly be chaos, famine, and war. And the average citizen cared not for the pure lineage of the ruler as long as crops were good and mouths were full and sons were not sent off to war.

Sesshomaru's reign thus far had been exceptionally peaceful- even more so than Inukimi's.

He'd thought of it carefully, and judged the scenario thus:

Initially, the court yokai and Daiyokai would try to take his throne. But when the votes came in( which were from the Daiyokai and average citizens of the Palace) Sesshomaru would remain.

He offered stability and peace. Taking a chance on a new ruler was riskier, especially after suffering from Inukimi's reign for so long.

They would not take that risk.

Sesshomaru missed Diaozuan terribly. And he missed the babies, as well. Would they even recognize him by the time they came back? His heart clenched a little at the thought. And he looked down at Inuyasha and felt his heart tighten.

He wanted to protect her.

He could not tolerate any harm coming to her, or the children.

He and Diaozuan would be enough. Right? Enough to save the Foo-Dog line from their terrible fate.

"Sesshomaru?" He felt Inuyasha's small hand running up one side of his muzzle, smoothing down the whiskers and petting the velvet fur with tiny fingers.

 _I won't let any harm come to you, Inuyasha._

He said, and the hanyou looked up in surprise and some shock. But Sesshomaru wasn't looking at her- he was looking out at the fields, and his expression was steely, one black lip lifted to show fangs.

 _No one will harm you or the pups. Not as long as I draw breath._

She stood up and put her arms out, reaching as far as she could around the huge ruff that was Sesshomaru's neck and fur. But in this form, she could not really reach around him at all- and just ended up leaning against him with her arms outstretched.

He tilted his head a bit.

 _What are you doing?_

"Um." Her voice was muffled by all the fur. " Trying to hug you."

He snorted in amusement, and she had to close her eyes from a brilliant flash of light, and felt her clothes flapping in a strong wind.

Then, arms encircled her, and she was pulled to a strong chest.

 _Is this better?_

"Yes." She hugged him tightly, feeling the silken hair brush her arms and the long tail spreading its warmth down her shoulder.

 _My apologies for yesterday. I should not have been so rough with you._

Sesshomaru said, after a long moment. She looked up in surprise, and then off to one side.

" I'm the one who should apologize. I yelled at you, and scratched you. I'm just not…" She made a low irritated noise and muttered into his chest, " I'm not good at any of this type of stuff. It took me forever to even think I was good enough for Kagome. And I've only known you as my brother so, trying out anything else is going to be … difficult for me." She murmured, playing with his sleeve and not meeting his eyes. It was clear from her tenseness that it was hard to talk about these things.

But it was also quite important.

 _Why?_

Inuyasha rolled her eyes and huffed, refraining from giving a sarcastic answer. She opened her mouth for a moment, decided against it, and snuggled back into his chest.

 _I mean… Sesshomaru, I'm just a hanyou. Why would you even have these feelings for me? You're like a God, and I'm just…_ She sighed tensely, her ears pinned back in turmoil.

 _And I'm just an outsider- not human enough, not demon enough. A stain in the world's of humans and demon's._

Sesshomaru lifted her chin gently.

" As am I, Inuyasha. The son of a bodyguard, and a quarter dragon no less- I'll be a bit of an embarrassment to the Foo-Dog line myself." He said, nonchalantly before meeting her gaze once more.

 _We are not so different, Inuyasha._

Her ears went down a bit. But, then , if that were the case- " Wait. If we were to get together, then, then people would know that-"

 _That I am not the son of Inu No Taisho._ Sesshomaru finished for her, quietly, moving some hair back from her head.

She seemed panicked, "Sesshomaru- we can't do that! You'd lose the throne and…" She trailed off, seeing his expression.

" Inuyasha, it was something I never desired. And Ame and Katsu are still your blood, and the blood of Inu No Taisho, so we would still reside here. Not much would change." His finger traced the dark blue mark along her cheek gently and he sighed, feeling tremors from her.

 _You shake like a leaf whenever I touch you like this. What are you so afraid of, hanyou?_

She swallowed thickly, and he was pleasantly surprised by her sincere answer.

 _Things changing, I suppose. Change has usually never led me to anything good until recently. So.. my initial reaction is always fear or anger._

Sesshomaru left his hand on her cheek and murmured, " Inuyasha, you need not be afraid of me. Or of this sort of change."

She nodded and took a deep breath, her heart beating hard and fast.

He was tempted to do more, but he could tell she wasn't ready. He could give her a little more time, at least.

Sesshomaru could give her as much patience as he had available.

And together , they headed back inside their home.

The day went by so fast. Between caring for the pups, getting everything ready for next week, and answering as much of the pile of letters on his desk as he could the day was finished in the blink of an eye.

Soon enough it was evening. The sky was a pretty purple and Sesshomaru was alone once more.

He sat quietly on the porch, enjoying the breeze and the smells that drifted down from the rolling mountains that surrounded the Palace.

His claws wandered to the Mark on his chest. That lotus of red flames, the mark of the Fox Tribe. Diaozuan's mark. Sesshomaru wondered how he was doing.

It had scarcely been two months, and Sesshomaru was embarrassed to admit that he already missed the fox terribly. Inuyasha could scarcely be expected to give Sesshomaru the support he needed when she was so entangled in her own feelings. And he didn't expect that from her.

Even her attempt earlier showed him she cared, and that was enough.

But even he had to admit these last few weeks had been a bit of an emotional roller coaster for him.

A light pink blush settled on the Daiyokai's cheeks. The Mark was as warm as ever, slightly warmer than the rest of his skin. Somewhere Diaozuan was safe and sound.

 _Diaozuan._

Sesshomaru huffed, running a few claws through his hair. He was being foolish. He could handle this on his own- he just needed to toughen up a bit more, that was all. Diao already knew about the impeding battle, and the fox was sure to be there when the assault happened.

So, then… why?

He looked out to the mountains, his yellow eyes tinged with the purple of the sunset.

 _My heart aches._

His tail wrapped slowly over his feet, and his claws dug into the fabric, slowly forming a tight fist.

 _I miss him so much._

All of the sudden, there was a burst of purple flames about ten feet from him.

Sesshomaru was on his feet in an instant, Bakusaiga in hand. The green electricity crackling down the sword and lending a green hue to Sesshomaru's face, which was bared in a snarl.

Soon, the flames flickered, a shadow growing among them. The shadow stretched and grew and solidified. Slowly, colors starting blooming from the blackness, from the outside inwards.

And as Sesshomaru's snarling reached it's peak, he suddenly recognized the smell.

His armor glistened in the purple light. Large shoulder pieces, segmented, that draped down to his elbows and curved upwards in cruel horns. Seven black tails spread like a peacock's tail to one side of his body, flicking faintly.

Dark purple hair was yanked into a high ponytail, glittering down one shoulder like a waterfall of precious wine.

And those eyes. A thousand of the earth's most precious gems made flesh.

Sesshomaru's chest tightened, and his expression changed in an instant: he quickly sheathed Bakusaiga, sliding it back to where it belonged with a small metallic hiss.

 _Is this how Inuyasha feels, when he sees me?_

"You're not supposed to teleport that far. You will hurt yourself." Sesshomaru snarled, not meeting that gaze. The tendons in his neck standing out. Why were his eyes suddenly wet? He blinked the sensation away.

The paler Daiyokai chanced a glance at the fox.

Diaozuan opened his arms to Sesshomaru, palms up. His eyes were soft, concerned, and full of love.

Sesshomaru cowered under that gaze, his own golden eyes betraying him by filling with tears once more.

" Come here." He murmured, his voice like velvet.

Sesshomaru had never moved so fast in his life.

Instantaneously he was in Diaozuan's arms, his claws digging in to the armor and kimono alike, dragging the fox as close to him as he possibly could. He could hear the faint ripping of fabric as his hands balled into fists, but he didn't care. His cheek was pressed against his armor plate, and it was uncomfortable but he didn't care.

Sesshomaru cared about nothing than the fact he was in his mate's arms once more.

He felt a warm heaviness as Diaozuan's arm went around his shoulders and clenched his eyes shut tighter, hoping to keep the tears from escaping.

"My beautiful love. How I've missed you." He whispered as Sesshomaru cried silently. Looping an arm under Sesshomaru's legs, he carried them both back to their room, settling them in bed with his back against the wall.

He said nothing more for some time, merely pressing kisses to Sesshomaru's crescent moon or neck every once in a while. Slowly the tears on Sesshomaru's face dried and he wiped them in embarrassment. Having a hard time evening out his breath.

"I-" Sesshomaru hesitated, a hand on the fox's armor. He petted the Daiyokai with a few of his tails in reassurance, tucking a few stray hairs behind Sesshomaru's pointed ear.

"What is it, orchid?" His hand laid atop Sesshomaru's and felt the trembles in it, and gave a soft noise of concern. The Daiyokai was quite embarrassed to ask. After all, he didn't know how long Diao could stay.

He lifted a hand to the fox's cheek admiring the caramel skin and those blood-red markings. Flushing when the fox moved his head and pressed a kiss to the center of Sesshomaru's palm.

 _I need you… to love me._

Sesshomaru finally managed. And Diaozuan could tell exactly the way he meant by how that blush had moved up to those beautiful pointed ears.

Diaozuan sat up a bit, and Sesshomaru's whole face reddened at the fox's expression. Those dark lashes lowered just a bit and he had a cheeky smirk on his face, showing the tiniest glint of teeth.

" That, I can do." He whispered before catching Sesshomaru's lips with his own.

And when his arm went over Sesshomaru's shoulders, tugging him down, he did not resist.

And he was grateful this time, that his yokai did not interfere.

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By the time it was finished, both were rather dry-mouthed and trembling, but satisfied.

Sesshomaru had squawked a little when Diaozuan had offered to clean him up, but soon relented after some love-bites and purrs.

The fox could be awfully persuasive when he wanted to be. And Sesshomaru had to admit that it was nice to be taken care of in such a manner.

With the dirtied cloths discarded Diaozuan hopped back into bed, and Sesshomaru cuddled up to his side, resting his head and arm on the Daiyokai's chest. He was a little fuzzy but quite warm and comfortable.

"Here. You're probably thirsty." Diaozuan said, offering him a small flask of blood. Sesshomaru drank half of it gratefully, and Diaozuan drank the rest before setting it gently on the side table. He combed his claws through Sesshomaru's hair gently and tucked it behind his shoulder. Sesshomaru let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, enjoying the attention.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Diaozuan offered as he pressed a kiss to Sesshomaru's crest mark. The Daiyokai sighed and muttered, " Seems its all I've been talking about, as of late." Wrinkling his nose in disgust.

Diaozuan thought for a moment, tails flicking lazily. A few draped over Sesshomaru to keep him warm while the others seemed to have a mind of their own.

"Well, you could give me the abridged version."

Sesshomaru nodded, ticking off each item on his claws, " Well, basically- Inuyasha got poisoned so he's a woman now, I found out I'm actually not the son of Inu No Taisho, I had a visit from the ghost of him- oh, and, there's something going on between Inuyasha and I that I haven't' quite pinned down yet."

Diaozuan's brows raised. Impressed. " All in a span of two months. Mn. I'm surprised you didn't throw **_yourself_** off of the Phoenix Gate."

Sesshomaru muttered, "Oh, I was tempted." and stretched, wrapping an arm over Diaozuan's chest and pulling him closer.

The fox gave a little purr, squeezing Sesshomaru's shoulder gently and affectionately.

"Why didn't you call for me sooner, love? That's what I'm here for."

Sesshomaru and Diaozuan paused, suddenly.

Inuyasha was walking down the hallway, curious about all the talking( and noise). To be perfectly honest, he'd already felt an odd flood of emotions from Sesshomaru and assumed it was some sort of dream- until he'd heard someone else's voice.

Inuyasha was not fond of the idea that he'd be able to feel every time Sesshomaru mated, and vice versa. Hopefully Sesshomaru could teach him how to plug up their connection a bit.

"Uh oh." Diaozuan muttered, grinning. Sesshomaru froze, unsure what to do, only that he didn't want Inuyasha peeking in on this particular scene. He reached down and grabbed the sheets, yanking them over both Daiyokai just as he heard a knock.

"Sesshomaru? I thought I heard voices."

Sesshomaru gave Diao a warning look, squeaking, " I am perfectly fine, Inuyasha-" only to nearly die as Diaozuan called,

"We're perfectly fine, Inuyasha." And gave the Foo-Dog a sly wink.

Inuyasha moved the door open just a crack, peering in suspiciously. Diaozuan sat up a little, his hair a pretty wave of purple as he gave Inuyasha a friendly wave. Naked from the waist up- but safe to assume that he and Sesshomaru were fully naked under that sheet.

Sesshomaru had never been half so mortified in his life.

"Inuyasha! Being a woman really becomes you. Are you going to join us-" Sesshomaru slapped a hand over the fox's mouth, growling, his face as red as Inuyasha's robes.

The hanyou made a disgusted face, " No. Never." and quickly shut the door.

Sesshomaru pinned Diaozuan down, hissing, "I'll kill you, you stupid fox!" as the fox laughed. The two wrestled for a while but neither had the strength to inflict any good damage, and Sesshomaru's mark made it impossible for the Lord of the West to kill his marked one anyway, so he soon gave up.

"Come here, lovely."

"No. I hate you." Sesshomaru said moodily, pretending to be dead as Diaozuan grabbed him and dragged him closer.

" No, you don't. Come on. Gimme a kiss." The fox murmured, nuzzling up the Foo-Dog's neck and placing little apologetic kisses here and there.

"No. Get out of my life." Sesshomaru said dramatically, turning his head away. The fox purred in amusement and scooted closer, nipping at his neck and shoulders. After much more attention from the fox, he soon relented, and they curled up next to each other once more.

"Sesshomaru." He said, and his voice was suddenly serious. The Daiyokai turned a bit to him, all tangled in the fox's legs and tails. Warm and safe.

" You should have called me sooner. That's more than anyone should have to bear alone."

Sesshomaru sighed, closing his eyes and curling up a bit tighter in bed.

"I should be able to handle this myself. You and Inuyasha have no obligation to always be-" He then paused, at the look on Diaozuan's face.

Diaozuan gently pulled Sesshomaru closer to his own body, tucking his chin in the silver part of Sesshomaru's hair.

"Sesshomaru, I'm not exactly sure where you got that notion." His gaze went to the red flames on Sesshomaru's chest and he touched them gently, earning a pink blush from the Foo-Dog.

" Love is obligation. When I gave you my mark, it meant that I would always be there for you. I want you to call me. The most important part of our bond is being there for each other when life becomes difficult."

Diaozuan picked Sesshomaru up, moving him so that he lay atop the fox. Sesshomaru's blush increased, his tail giving nervous little flicks. The fox's tanned hands cupped Sesshomaru's face and their gaze met.

"My dear one. Feel no guilt or shame for relying on me. It would be my pleasure to buffer you against the insanity of life, as I'm sure you would do for me." Sesshomaru laced his hand in Diaozuan's carefully, aware of the thick claws, and gave a small squeeze of affection. He felt the fox give one back.

" Each one of us has our limits-emotionally, physically. True cowardice is pretending those don't exist, and pushing yourself well past the limit, unable to ever return. Sometimes I feel that if I hadn't found you when I did Sesshomaru… that you wouldn't have even been capable of love."

Diaozuan petted along Sesshomaru's face playfully, flicking his hair back so that all the strands rested down his spine in a pretty wave.

The Foo-Dog huffed, " You would have just found some other yokai to impregnate. You would have moved on."

Diaozuan frowned, "No, Sesshomaru. I want to grow old with **_you_**. I want to be by your side as long as I walk this earth, and perhaps beyond." then leaned up and whispered playfully in Sesshomaru's ear, " And I want to have lots and lots of pretty babies, with you." And just as he was about to get slapped, he added softly,

 _Because my heart is yours, my moonlight. My sun and stars._

Sesshomaru paused, hand still raised. Face, faintly red. Debating weither he should follow through with the slap or not. Diaozuan waited patiently, happy to see the conflict in Sesshomaru's face.

Finally, he dropped the hand.

Scooted forward a bit. And placed a very gentle, chaste kiss on Diao's chapped lips. He tasted faintly sweet.

"Hey. Wanna know a secret?"

Sesshomaru tilted his head a bit.

"I love you, Sesshomaru. And I always will." Diaozuan murmured, leaning up and placing playful kisses on Sesshomaru's neck, jaw, cheeks. "That is not a secret, you imbecile-"Sesshomaru chided, soon getting the slightest grin from all the attention. His golden eyes now as soft and full of affection for the fox as the fox's were for him.

"Diao?"

"Hm?"

"I… " Sesshomaru slipped his arms under Diaozuan, hugging him and muttering something into his chest.

"You'll have to repeat that, love." He murmured, tracing a few of Sesshomaru's pretty stripes. He was most fond of the ones on his hips, but Sesshomaru didn't appreciate those being touched very often.

"I said-" Sesshomaru pursed his lips, incapable of saying it aloud.

 _I said, I love you. Thank you for giving me our children. Thank you for being my mate. And thank you for coming when I call. You will never know how much you mean to me._

Sesshomaru's gaze met Diao's and he immediately looked away in embarrassment. " Don't let it go to your head, fox. I am still mad at you."

But he was soon silenced by a much longer, much more passionate kiss from his mate.

Before the sun rose, they discussed many things. The dream. The lineage issue. And of course, whatever was blooming between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. He was relieved to discover that Diaozuan wasn't opposed to the idea- and in fact, didn't seem surprised that it was happening at all.

"So needless to say, it was a bit shocking to both of us to discover this attraction, but now that we know the whole lineage information, it does make sense."

Sesshomaru paused, glancing over. Diaozuan was cleaning his claws, and then looked over at his mate mildly.

" Oh, I'm sorry. Is this the part where I'm supposed to be shocked?" He said, raising a brow.

Sesshomaru huffed, " Well, I certainly was!" and received an eyeroll from the fox.

"Sesshomaru. You've been attracted to Inuyasha on some level since you were impregnated. Even more so after the battle with the cats, when he said he would take care of your children even after death."

He laid on his back, his many tails flicking as he listed off, " So, lets see. You raised a pup of his together, fought a war together, he produced a Daiyokai pup which is proof enough of his strong blood, he promised to take care of all our children even after death, and now he's in a form that could finally give you another pup of Inu No Taisho's blood. Am I missing anything?"

Sesshomaru flushed. Now that Diao laid it out like that… it did seem a bit obvious that some sort of attraction was going to happen between them.

"Inuyasha's yokai seems keen enough, but she's very conflicted about the whole issue." Sesshomaru said softly. " And… I am too, I suppose."

"Well, let me ask you this. How would you react if Inuyasha wanted to mate with someone else?"

Sesshomaru paused, raising a brow and looking over at his mate.

"What do you mean?"

Diao waved a clawed hand, " You know. Say Inuyasha found some hot uh- I dunno, wolf yokai. And they're flirting, and she's totally into it, she's dropping hints about wanting him to live in the Palace and then one day, you feel them mating via your Mark. Are you okay with that?"

Sesshomaru rested his chin in a clawed hand.

 _How would I feel?_

He tried to imagine it. Inuyasha, flirting and giggling with someone else. Her smelling of other yokai.

Her carrying some other yokai's pup.

All of the sudden, his lip lifted, and a terrible hostile snarl ripped from him. Sesshomaru touched his own chest, having managed to startle himself, just a little.

Diaozuan looked over in amusement. "Ah. So, the hesitation is probably just leftovers from you only knowing each other as brothers. It will be a strange transition into mates. This world is not kind to hanyou's, and… you will have to prove that your love is genuine, and that you see her as being a worthy mate." He hummed, finally starting to shrug on some clothes before returning to Sesshomaru's side. Wrapping around him lazily.

The silver-haired yokai was surprised. Yes… Inuyasha had mentioned something about that.

Hmm. That was going to be as difficult as Sesshomaru shrugging off the Tetsaiga.

"That is not going to be easy." Sesshomaru said, running his hand through Diaozuan's long hair affectionately.

"Love never is. But once you win her over, you'll have her loyalty forever. Just as you have mine." Diao hummed, and reached up, running a clawed finger gently under Sesshomaru's jawline. Earning the tiniest of purrs from the silver Daiyokai before he caught himself.

"I noticed there's a little something going on between you and her, as well." Sesshomaru murmured.

Diao shrugged and stretched. "Nothing will happen until after your relationship with Inuyasha is all settled, if it happens at all. If that's acceptable to you?"

Sesshomaru thought. For some reason, the idea of the fox being with Inuyasha didn't upset him nearly as much as the thought of being with some stranger. But still.

He didn't like the idea of sharing.

" Diaozuan, I do not want to share you. Not for a while- if ever." He admitted, looking down at the beautiful fox and tracing his face with his claws.

 _You are **mine**._

Sesshomaru said, and his voice was low and powerful and strong. The whites of his eyes flickered red for just a moment. No... his yokai was selfish, and would not share this mate. His love, the father and mother of their children. Diaozuan looked up and touched Sesshomaru's face reassuringly, " I am yours, my love." calming him with gentle strokes of his fingers.

Sesshomaru's possessiveness was strangely charming to the fox. It wasn't something he was used to.

When the silver-haired Daiyokai had calmed, he said thoughtfully, "You're strangely open to the idea of all of us being in relationships with each other."

Diaozuan said softly, " Sesshomaru. My father has four different marked ones. The more you have, the safer you are. Its quite common among our kind. Besides- I have more than enough love for the both of you-" He was silenced by a cuff from Sesshomaru to the head.

Diao laughed , rubbing his head gently. "Okay. I deserved that one."

"Mm hmm."

At dawn, Diaozuan left. He didn't want to of course, but Sesshomaru persuaded him to go. The Fox Tribe would be suspicious if he was randomly gone, and he had his duties. But he made sure the fox knew that he was loved, and that Sesshomaru appreciated his visit.

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EatEmUp: Yeah, no worries though. Sesshomaru's already accounted for that, lol. Also- here's more of the furry boy for ya :D

No Fan Of Kikyo: Nah, he just growled. But because Inuyasha's in that girl form(and mad crushing on Sesshomaru) she's more inclined to obey him than she would be normally.


	8. Chapter 8

"My Lord, there's been talk among the ranks."

Ryuu turned his head, his cruelly curved horns glittering faintly. "Oh?"

The dragon servant hesitated, nervously. " My Lord, they are worried about facing The Lord of the West in battle , after his little performance with the cat's forces."

The dragon eyes her, thoughtfully. His long silver hair was tied up in a ponytail between his horns, and his red eyes gleamed. Patterns of silver scales that matched the tone of his tail glittered around his temple and the base of his neck.

"He was only able to pull that off thanks to his brother's sword. Now that Inuyasha is no threat, and Sesshomaru's mate is soon to be taken care of, we will be assured a victory. Have those points been made clear among the ranks? I suppose I'll have to be clearer to them, next time I speak."

He said, moodily, crossing one leg over the other and tapping a few clawed toes on the floor.

"I will reiterate those points myself, my Lord, if that is your will." She said, softly. She was a dragon yokai of lower rank- her scales were a shade of lavender, and her eyes were a deep blue.

"No need. I'll make a note of it." He muttered, picking up a quill and ink and adding softly, " Yuu, do you know why we're going after the Foo-Dog Palace first? Why we're going after the strongest of the four Zodiac rulers of these lands?"

She paused, and admitted, " I do not, my Lord." Cowering just a little. Sometimes her Lord's temper could be terrible.

"In order to kill any animal, you have to take away the thing that poses the most threat to you. If you want to kill a snake, you wouldn't start by chopping off it's tail, now, would you?" He murmured as his eyes went dark.

"Besides. That family has stood against us for too long. Against **_father_**. They are responsible for his death. It's about time they paid the blood price."

The rest of the Dragon Tribe was against the move, but they had no choice in the matter. Ryuu was the one on the throne, and the commander of their armies. The dragon yokai who wanted no part of this had already fled to other territories.

Those who remained, and were old enough to fight, were drafted. He needed a good mix of real soldiers, and puppets, if this little scheme of his was going to work.

If it succeeded, he would make sure there were no 'four main rulers' of the zodiac. The whole idea was ludicrous- some yokai blood was simply stronger than others. He and Sesshomaru were the peak of their kind. And once he took care of the Foo-Dogs, he would recreate the entire system.

Of course, he hadn't told that part to his soldiers. There was no need for them to know.

Their deaths would not be in vain.

"No, I suppose not. Shall I bring you some refreshments, my Lord?" She asked, standing and straightening her outfit. She was rather pretty… perhaps, he'd leave her here, rather than take her to the battlefield.

He wouldn't want to scar that pretty face of hers.

"Yes, I should like that very much. And Yuu?"

She met his eyes, letting him know she was paying attention.

"If there are any usurpers, make my guards dispose of them in the quickest, and cleanest way possible." His voice was cold, and steely. She nodded and left. And when he thought of Sesshomaru, his hand clenched into a fist, and blue blood ran down from it as his own claws pierced the flesh of his hand.

Real fear. That was what Sesshomaru had made him feel. It was absolutely unacceptable.

He would return the favor, tenfold. He would use the new swords he'd forged to render Bakusaiga useless. And after that, he'd make Sesshomaru watch as he killed every single one of those disgusting Daiyokai pups, right in front of him.

That would be a fitting end to his filthy line.

And then, perhaps, give the hanyou her life if she agreed to be his concubine. Inuyasha had been rather handsome- he was sure he'd be quite devastating as a female.

No one had the right to make the son of the Dragon Tribe feel inferior. His whole life he'd been assured of his superiority by everyone around him- friend and enemy.

Sesshomaru was the first Daiyokai to shatter his ego with a single glance. Dismiss him as if he were some common peasant. As if the Foo-Dog were his superior.

As if his rightful place was at Sesshomaru's feet.

He wouldn't get away with it. He would pay.

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Diaozuan sat at the meeting.

One kit, the one with the opalescent markings, hung from his fangs contentedly, fast asleep. The other, an albino, mewled softly in his lap. Sesshomaru's kits. They were getting so big already. He would be proud to show the Foo-Dog how much they'd grown.

The female fox yokai at his right cooed over them as quietly as she could.

A representative of the rat tribe finally spoke." My Lord, you must call for aid. The Fox Tribe cannot withstand the forces of the Dragon Tribe, our own branched- off rebellion, and whatever other forces the Dragons manage to collect."

Sadao, flame of the south-east, snarled. " And who will come? Tigers? Roosters? We are not so fortunate in our friends as you." He got quieter, " I do not understand this. The Dragons and the Foxes have always been allied, since as far back as I can remember. Something must have pricked that young dragon's pride."

But who could possibly cause the dragon to wage war like this?

An insult? A woman? A feud? The dragon was risking so much, and Sadao could not fathom the payoff. The Fox Tribe was a secure Palace, and had a good stretch of land, but they were not nearly as wealthy as the Tiger or Foo-Dogs.

Diaozuan was thinking of Sesshomaru. He knew the Foo-Dog had had a meeting with the young dragon some time ago that hadn't exactly gone over smoothly.

Sesshomaru had also told him about Toshi's vision, and the imminent attack on the Foo-Dog Palace.

Diaozuan settled the black kit in his lap and turned to his father. " I think it may have been a meeting with Sesshomaru. My mate isn't exactly known for his… welcoming demeanor. Perhaps this is a backhanded way of getting revenge on both of us."

Sadao sighed. He could see that as a factor. The young Dragon's arrogance and ego was pretty much known throughout the kingdoms.

" The catalyst matters not, I suppose. We must get accurate numbers of how many yokai the Dragon has managed to collect before they start marching for our borders. We assume they are going to strike us first, and the Foo-Dog Palace if they have strength left."

Diaozuan had a bad feeling about that assumption, though. Somehow it didn't ring right. They hadn't been able to prove that the poisoner of his brother was related to Ryuu's attack, but the timing was too good. The Dragon had forced Diaozuan to the Fox Tribe for a reason- to get him away from the Foo-Dog Palace for a while. So why on earth would he go for them first?

The white kit started to whine, and he groomed its ears gently.

"Shall I go, father?" Diaozuan asked.

Sadao shook his head. " I want you and the kits here, safe. I don't want you playing into his hands." The fox was a little frustrated with the answer, but he did understand. No one's safety could be secured beyond their shield- not even his own.

Diaozuan looked down at the babies. Daiki's eyes were his own- a soft greyish color that was turning to purple. The other had Sesshomaru's gaze- a glittering, piercing yellow.

When he made eye contact with them they gave him happy little chirps and mewls.

He heard his father giving directions as to who was going where, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

 _Something is wrong. But I promise, I will protect you. And all the other Foo-Dogs. I will protect my family no matter what._

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Sesshomaru's golden eye squinted. He was as silent as a shadow, perched just outside of Inyasha's village in one of the tall tree.

His long tail wrapped around the thick branch, perfectly balanced. Sunlight dappled his clothes. He was a vision of perfection: from the long silver length of hair, to the glittering claws that lightly gripped the bark of the tree as he sniffed.

He could still smell her.

Kaori had not left the human village.

His hand clenched angrily. Stubborn ningen woman. As long as she was here, Inuyasha was not safe. Even in her female form Sesshomaru knew Inuyasha would feel some kind of obligation to protect her if the village was attacked by demons.

Her presence was a threat to Inuyasha's safety. And that would not be tolerated.

Still. _I suppose I should be courteous and let Inuyasha know before making her return to her own time._

That, or killing her. Sesshomaru absolutely would not endure any lure for Inuyasha to leave the Palace until she'd finished training that woman's body to the best of her ability. Turning into a tiny dot of light, Sesshomaru returned to the Palace in record time.

"Inuyasha."

Sesshomaru peeked in on the hanyou. She was currently playing with a few of the pups- Rin and Inukezi were off to the side, laughing at the hanyou's antics.

The hanyou paused when Sesshomaru called her name. "Yeah what?"

Toshi was in her arms, and his fluffy black tail gave a wag seeing her 'mother'. Katsu went to Sesshomaru's side in his human form and nuzzled on his leg. Clearly wanting affection. The Daiyokai set a hand gently in his silver hair and smoothed it with his claws. Unconsciously grooming out the mats and impurities as he spoke to Inuyasha.

"That ningen woman has not left the village. Apparently, she must be… **_encouraged_** to remove herself from this era. You will not prevent me from doing this." His voice was low and cold and Inuyasha was surprised at its venom.

She set Toshi in Inukezi's arms and ruffled his fur before saying carefully, " Sesshomaru. You're not exactly… kind when it comes to delivering bad news. Would you at least let me try to get her to go first? I think she'll listen to me better even though I'm like this." She muttered, giving an irritated flick of her hand to indicate her female form.

A delicate brow raised for a moment. For some reason, the idea of Inuyasha being outside the Palace for any reason chafed his yokai the wrong way, and he could feel it grumbling under his porcelain skin.

 _I am being protective._

Sesshomaru realized suddenly, and sighed. "Very well. You get an attempt. But you must not leave my sight Inuyasha. Not once."

Inuyasha's soft silver ears slicked back against her skull with anger and resentment. But she knew in her heart he was right to worry. This body was still much weaker than she would like and … considering what had happened last time at the village, she couldn't blame Sesshomaru for being a bit overprotective.

"Fine, fine, whatever." She ganced over at Rin and Inukezi, "You two cool with looking after the pups for a bit?" and Rin nodded, answering for both of them. "For sure! They're super cute. Especially Toshi." Toshi bathed under the praise while Katsu huffed, "What? What about me?" Transforming and hopping into her lap as well, begging for attention.

Inukezi held the sleeping Ame and petted her little silver head, tucking her paws so she wouldn't fall off of his lap. "Yeah. We'll watch 'em. No worries. Besides, Tiao-Wen and Wumei are both here too."

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru nodded and together, they took their leave.

It was easy enough getting over the gigantic red walls of the Palace, but Sesshomaru found Inuyasha couldn't keep up as well as she used to.

She was slower- and a bit more clumsy. Tripping over branches or undergrowth in the forest more than once. As he observed her though, he realized it wasn't clumsiness- it was simply that her legs were shorter than before. She still wasn't used to this new body's proportions, especially when moving fast.

The second time it happened, Sesshomaru made an irritated noise in his throat, scooping her into his arms bridal-style and heading off.

"Oi! Put me down, asshole! I can do it!" She hissed, squirming in his grip. He stopped for a moment and snarled, " If you contest me on this, I will talk to the ningen myself." his yellow eyes assuring her that was a promise, not a suggestion.

He waited in silence for her answer.

Birds chirped softly overhead and the smell of many low-level demons reached Sesshomaru's nose. They avoided his scent… however, he noted to his dismay that Inuyasha's scent was causing some to linger. To wait for an opportunity to attack should Inuyasha be left alone. Inuyasha's ears perked towards the noise, and she seemed to notice the same thing.

Her heart sank.

Sesshomaru was right. Her scent was attracting demons, lured by the Foo-Dog blood running through her veins and the fact that she was trapped in this body.

Unknown to her, Sesshomaru increased the heaviness of his own aura all around her to conceal her scent. Today was not a day for accidents, after all.

"Fine." She muttered, and they moved on.

In no time at all they were in the human village. It looked the same as always- wooden structures, rooflines weighed down by rocks. Peaceful rice fields blooming with crops. Dirt roads and wooden bridges littered the landscape. Sesshomaru set Inuyasha down gently and let the hanyou take the lead. The Daiyokai crossing his arms and ignoring the reaction that his presence brought to the village.

Understandably, they were not quite friendly. They were used to seeing the hanyou but certainly not to seeing Sesshomaru. He followed Inuyasha in silence and ignored the wary glares from the humans, and the awed stares of the children who had never seen a Daiyokai like him before, and were not likely to see his sort again.

Soon enough Sango emerged from a hut near the end of the village, waving and carrying what looked like yet another one of Miroku's offspring. Miroku seemed to be catching up to Sesshomaru when it came to creating an army of children.

" Inuyasha! I'm so glad you're all right. I-"She paused, noting her gender change. Sesshomaru had let her and the others know the hanyou was all right, but Inuyasha hadn't come to visit since being poisoned. The gender change was a little more subtle than Sesshomaru's thanks to her small bust, but her facial features and the way the fire rat robe fell along her hips betrayed her.

" Oh,my goodness, what happened to you?" She said, and couldn't help but cup the hanyou's face in surprise. Inuyasha let out an irritated huff, while Sesshomaru clarified, " An effect of the poison drunk at this location."

Sango felt extremely guilty. She was supposed to escort him back to the castle, and she'd failed.

" I am sorry beyond words. There were so many of them, by the time I got to you… " She trained off and murmured, " It's not permanent is it?" looking into Inuyasha's yellow orbs. She shrugged uncomfortably and Sango's gaze drifted to Sesshomaru.

" Perhaps. We will see." Was the Daiyokai's answer, and Sango weakly joked, " Well, at least you're just as striking, male or female." Before adding with some seriousness,

"Inuyasha-"

The hanyou could tell she was about to launch into a big apology and cut her off, " Look, it's not big deal, and that's not the reason I'm here anyway. I need to talk to Kaori." She noted Miroku leaving the hut as well, and watching the two Foo-Dog's with interest.

Miroku said softly, " She's down collecting herbs by the river. I can go get her for you?" and Inuyasha waved a hand, clicking her tongue in irritation.

" No worries. I'll go talk to her. And maybe I'll come visit you guys when all this girl nonsense is over. It's about time we caught up. I just gotta take care of this first."

The monk nodded, and Sango joined his side as they watched the two Foo-Dogs head off towards the river near the edge of the other side of the village. The monk watched the way Sesshomaru followed Inuyasha and is eyes widened in surprise.

" Sango. Look. Sesshomaru's shielding Inuyasha."

"What? No, don't be ridiculous." She murmured, squinting, looking for the demonic aura. Sure enough though, her husband was correct- even though most humans couldn't see it, Sesshomaru was projecting his demonic aura all around the hanyou, shielding her scent from other demons. It was a common trick among demons to protect their young, siblings or mates, but only worked when they were very close.

Hence, why Sesshomaru had instructed that the hanyou remain within eyeshot.

She didn't know what to say-she was pretty speechless. It seemed so out of character for Sesshomaru to do such a thing, especially for Inuyasha.

"He's protecting her." She whispered under her breath. " I can't believe it."

Miroku muttered " I can. You should've seen him when he went after Kaori." He still remembered it clear as day: Sesshomaru's eyes huge pits of blue ice and hellfire, his teeth doglike, his demonic aura so heavy that the air around them seemed to turn to water. Inuyasha had been tucked tight to his chest, pale as death and barely visible under those red and white sleeves.

 _If he dies, you die, wench._

" Sango. What I saw that day wasn't the fury of a sibling protecting another sibling. That was the fury of a yokai protecting his mate." Miroku muttered under his breath and his hand tightened on the staff.

Her soft brown eyes stared at him in shock before turning back to the two Foo-Dogs, watching them disappearing into the forest.

" It cannot be." She whispered, leaning into her husband as she watched them go.

The birdsong stopped when Sesshomaru entered the woods. The local flora and fauna were more than aware of his hunting patterns and wanting to stay well clear of him. He followed behind Inuyasha and let the hanyou lead the way.

Indeed, the ningen girl was pulling up some herbs that grew near the shoreline when she saw Inuyasha. She nearly fell in her haste to get to him, chuckling her basket off to one side and enveloping the hanyou in a tight hug which seemed to surprise Inuyasha.

"Oh, thank God. Inuyasha, I am so, so sorry, I didn't mean to-" She paused then, feeling the smaller frame and suddenly aware of the changes to Inuyasha's facial features. Inuyasha was taken aback for a moment too, seeing five long scratches on her face.

From Sesshomaru, no doubt. She recognized the nails- she'd treated many scratches on her own hide from those claws.

"Inuyasha…" he trailed off, looking at the hanyou in amazement. Her gaze shifted to the Daiyokai behind Inuyasha nervously.

She sighed, tucking little puppy ears back. " Oi! Can you give us a bit more room?" Sesshomaru sneered a bit but backed off, going back to the long line of trees and leaning against one of them.

"Yeah, um. Look, this isn't even about this-" Inuyasha gestured to herself dismissively, " This is about something else. Would you sit with me?"

She nodded, still amazed by the hanyou's change. She was happy to see Inuyasha alive and felt extremely guilty knowing that this change of gender must have been her fault. She sat down beside the Foo-Dog, and for a while, their talk was quiet and respectful. However, things changed when Inuyasha got to the subject of her leaving.

" I need you to leave, Kaori. And until all of this is fixed, I… you can't come back. It'll be too dangerous." Inuyasha explained nervously, her claws kneading a bit in her red pants. She shrugged off the fire rat robe with a huff. Too damn hot for the armor, just then.

Kaori murmured, " I'm not just going to leave like that. I can help you and your family with my purification powers."

" Look, the people we're up against are way outta your league. Hell, they're nearly out of Sesshomaru's. That's why they did this to me- and I'm pretty sure they meant to kill me, if Sesshomaru hadn't gotten in the way. And I don't… " Inuyasha hesitated, then murmured,

" I don't think… I feel the same way about you than you feel about me."

She stared in amazement, and then started to get a little heated. " You… What? You were the one who kissed me first! You were the one always hanging around the well, waiting for me to come back!"

Her ears pinned back- knowing that Kaori was right. " That's true. But you look exactly like someone I used to know and love dearly. And… I realized after spending some time away from you that I was projecting that onto you. And forcing something that isn't really there. I am so sorry."

Kaori took her arm, and Inuyasha winced slightly.

"Look… are you letting that-" She chanced another look at Sesshomaru before lowering her voice, unaware that of course the demon could still hear her. " Are you letting that monster push you around? Is that what this is? He's making some move on you because you're female, and now he's forcing you to say this?"

Her grip hurt. Inuyasha's ears pinned back. " No! I was going to tell you the day I got poisoned. And he's not a monster, so you can shut up about that." She said, her hackles raising a little.

"Not a- Inuyasha. He is a monster, and worse. Look what he did to my face! I'm going to have this for the rest of my life! And now, it turns out you don't feel the same way, even though you were the one leading me on all this time- you bastard…" She whispered as tears began to stream down her face.

Inuyasha tried to wriggle out of her grip, only to gasp in surprise and pain when she was yanked closer.  
"Kaori, if you hurt me, Sesshomaru will-" She tried to warn, but the girl was too far gone.

"Will what? I honestly- how the hell could you feel anything for that man, and only feel friendship for me?" She said in disbelief. " There is no feeling in him, Inuyasha. No love. No emotions. You know what I saw, when I looked into his eyes? Hell, and darkness."

Inuyasha was distinctly uncomfortable, at this point. This was supposed to be her leaving, not her interrogating the hanyou about her feelings for Sesshomaru.

" You don't know the other sides of him Kaori. He's selfless, and as loving as anyone I've ever met, including you. And this isn't even about him, this is about you, leaving. So can we-"

She interrupted him." Look me in the eyes and say that you never loved me." Kaori whispered, searching yellow orbs.

Inuyasha's ears slicked against her head, and her gaze became hard, and a little sad.

" I never loved you, Kaori. I wish that I- ouch!" Inuyasha yelped as her nails bit through to the hanyou's caramel skin.

There was a flash of bright light.

 _Shit._

Inuyasha thought, covering her eyes and yelling out, " Sesshomaru, no!" well before she could see. She felt a lot of movement though, and heard Kaori's cry of pain as well as an inhuman snarl from Sesshomaru.

He had her pinned to the ground with one black-leather shoe. One foot was on her shoulder while the other was on her hand, pinning it down to prevent her from trying to move. His long hair hung in a glittering curtain to one side of his head, framing his terrifying gaze. The whites of his eyes were pale pink and the golden color was starting to slip as well. His lips drawn back in a horrid silent snarl. A long line of poisonous drool dripped gracefully from his lip to her exposed collarbone, hissing, the skin blistering as she cried in pain.

"She hurt you. This is the second time." Sesshomaru hissed at Inuyasha, not at all understanding the hanyou's logic. His claws dripping their poison, right next to her head. A little round patch of grass withering and dying with a sad hiss.

"I know. just- send her down the well. Please. Do this for me." Inuyasha whispered, looking down into her terrified eyes.

 _This is all my fault._

Kaori was right in that regard. Inuyasha shouldn't have led her on. And she also should have recognized how protective of her Sesshomaru was becoming, and warned her well before they had this little chat.

Sesshomaru straightened up after a moment. From his hand a long whip appeared. He wrapped it carefully around his hand before snapping it out at her ankles.

Inuyasha's breath caught in her throat. "Sesshomaru-"

The long whip lifted Kaori high into the air, and Inuyasha saw her disappear down the well with a scream as the whip suddenly let go. A painful trip back home to be sure. But she was alive, and that was the important thing.

Sesshomaru's gaze went to the well, then to Inuyasha.

"You will not prevent the destruction of this artifact. You have suffered enough." Sesshomaru snarled. And through their connection the hanyou could tell exactly what he meant.

Inuyasha sighed and her shoulders drooped.

 _He's not wrong. I'm so… so tired. I don't want to be hurt anymore._

 _I want to stay here, in this era. No more girls from another time, please. I couldn't take even one more._

After a moment, she nodded.

The Daiyokai drew his sword and whispered, " Bakusaiga." Pointing the blade at the Bone-Eater's well. Green electricity shot from the end and curled all around the Bone-Eater's well, encircling it in corrosive light. The rocks soon disintegrated, some exploding while others turned into a kind of slippery horrid lava. The smell was incredible and Inuyasha coughed a few times, fanning the air in front of her.

Gazing wistfully at what was left and clutching the beads that were always in her right pocket . The beads of subjugation. It felt bad destroying the well but… there was something terribly freeing about it as well.

"Sesshomaru, what the hell was all the other stuff-" She began, startling a bit to find him a little too close, moving the sleeve up to inspect the injury.

It wasn't too bad- four little red welts, two with spots of blood. Nothing major.

"See? It wasn't anything worth throwing a fit over. Honestly." She chided, then yelped as she felt his tongue swipe across the little marks deftly.

"What the **_actual_** hell, you mangy-" She paused when she inspected the arm. Watching in surprise and amazement as the little wounds closed, leaving strong scabs in their wake.

"No need to thank me." Sesshomaru said dryly, fixing her sleeve and folding it just so, his tail giving a few irritated flicks.

"Thank you." She murmured anyway. Her gaze lowering to the ground as she glanced over at the well one last time. Feeling the weight of Sesshomaru's hand on her shoulder and his warmth next to her.

" I do not understand why you let her hurt you." Sesshomaru murmured. Inuyasha had claws of her own after all, and her sword was still at her hip.

Inuyasha's gaze was glazed, almost thoughtful. " I thought that if she did, it'd make her feel better. Maybe hurting me would get all her anger out and she could leave happy. Or at least with closure."

She was reminded painfully of all the times she'd been 'sat' by Kagome in their youth. And again, of the imbalance in their relationship.

"Ridiculous." He murmured as he smoothed a strand of her hair with his claws. A light blush sprang to her face and she huffed, ignoring it.

" Also.. you know, for not killing her. That was good. So, thanks for that too I suppose."

Sesshomaru's tail moved to the ground and wrapped around her bare feet. Keeping them warm. How was his fur always so white and free of debris and dirt? That was his real magical talent. She looked back to the ground, her emotions in turmoil. Inuyasha hadn't meant for it to end like this between them.

Sesshomaru noted her expression, and pulled her into his arms. And this time she didn't bother yanking away or barking how she was all right.

No.

Instead, she stayed in his arms for some time. Her cheek pressed to his chest plate and her ears tucked tight against her head. Listening to his heartbeat and drawing strength from him.

Eventually, Sesshomaru broke the silence, gently letting her go.

"You defended me when she described me as a monster." His tone was observant and light but his expression slightly serious.

"Of course I did, you ass. She just saw the nastier side of you, and I'm sorry she didn't get to know you the way that I do, but that didn't give her a right to insult you like that. You were just angry I was poisoned, for crying out loud." Inuyasha muttered, shrugging on the outside of her fire rat robes with his help.

"Do you think of me as selfless and loving?" He murmured, again, voice soft and distant.

Inuyasha faltered a bit before deflecting, "What? You mad or something? Would you rather I launch into all of your bad traits first?"

 _Thank you Inuyasha._

She looked up in surprise when she felt a hand on her cheek again. Inuyasha caught the look in his gaze, recognizing that tiny change in expression by now. Butterflies fluttered suddenly in her stomach.

And this time when he leaned down for a kiss, she got up on her tiptoes. Meeting him halfway.

It was a wonderful kiss- gentle, but with just enough teeth sucking on lip to keep it interesting. His flavor was wonderful too… citrus with just a hint of sweetness, like… that one drink Kagome brought …lemonade. Her hands slipped around his shoulders and her body scooted gently closer. More butterflies when she felt the sinful way his shoulders tapered down to a very muscled and taunt torso and hips.

 _What the hell am I even doing? Hello? Anyone in there? This is goddamn Sesshomaru you're making out with!  
_  
A voice in her head protested, but she shoved it away. It was a beautiful day and... just for a moment, she wanted to flirt.

Fuck, Sesshomaru was beautiful in this light.

Her fingers played with his hair, wrapping around the strands like string until she had a nice fistful of it. It was funny… she didn't really notice when her legs started to snake around him so that he had to sit down. Or even, the fact that she was pulled gently into his lap. No… she was busy concentrating on those lips, and those beautiful pointed ears. Busy placing kisses on his stripes, and the shell of that ear, and the line of his jaw. Giggling and pinching her shoulder and head together, trying to block him from nipping at her neck even though she was clearly enjoying it.

 _Fuck. We're flirting, and I'm enjoying it._

Her skin broke out in shivers at his playful growl as he shoved past her little barrier, scraping the skin so gently with his fangs. Leaving long pink tingling marks that she felt heal almost instantly.

She growled in return and pushed him down into the long grass, feeling it ticking along her elbows and back. "Don't-not fair." She huffed and nipped at his skin in revenge, pulling down his stupid kimono and leaving little pink marks carefully all along his collar and neck, just around Diaozuan's mark. In a bout if insanity,her mind wandered and though:

 _I wish I could mark him._

"As if you could tell me what to do, Inuyasha." He teased her, and her growl deepened. She sucked carefully at each spot, making sure each mark stayed put. He was huffing and chuckling softly as she did so and she could feel the heaviness of his arm around her shoulders. He let her do as she pleased, his tail swishing lowly in the grass as a pretty pink dusted his pale cheeks.

Then she pressed another rough kiss to his lips for good measure. "There. That's your punishment." This produced another soft sweet laugh from him, which tugged at her heartstrings. But as she pulled away, their eyes met.

His eyes were the best part of every sunrise, every sunset. Of flames and gold and glittering jewels. Of the most beautiful shades of summer, and the sweet beginnings of autumn. Framed in pure white, feathery lashes. They were half-lowered as well in a… well.

He had an expression that made something hot clench inside her. Her breath caught in her throat.

His hair was spread among the grass like a spilled jug of pure mercury. Poking through were the occasional tiny wild daises, sweetly pink. A lovely compliment to those double stripes on each cheek, so dark and masculine like red wine. Begging to be kissed and stroked and complimented.

He was warm underneath her, around her. Warm and alive.

And if she wanted, he would be there with her.

Forever.

A feeling in her chest was close to bursting, rushing through her veins. All the way to her core.

The worst part was, it wasn't just physical attraction. She was attracted to his aloofness, his ability to restrain himself. His unending amounts of love towards Inukezi and Ame. His willingness to give Inuyasha the space she needed rather than to force her into being his mate.

And most recently… his support and protection. Never in his life had Inuyasha had the luxury of feeling safe. A gift that only Sesshomaru provided.

Her hand went to his cheek, the tan skin such a contrast to his perfect porcelain. Sesshomaru could feel the slight tremble in her hand.

"Inuyasha?" He asked very softly, sitting up just a little and lacing her hand with his, sensing distress.

"Oh God, Sesshomaru. I really am starting to fall for you." She whispered in quiet wonder. It was really happening.

Saying it out loud was the best, and worst thing. The best because she had to stop denying, now. The worst because it was so painful admitting it was happening. Sesshomaru's expression softened, and he sat up a bit more. Pulling her gently into his lap and comforting her.

 _As am I for you, Inuyasha._

 _It is a little frightening for me, too._

She gripped tight to his form,and felt a kiss being pressed to her folded ear. And through their connection she knew his words rang true.

She could feel his hesitation, his stubborn layers. But underneath, she could feel that affection burning in his veins, too. Bright and beautiful and pure.

He carried her in quiet contentment back to the Palace.

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EatEmUp- Yeah, I actually based Diaozuan's personality off of a character I really like, so I'm glad you like him too. He and Inuyasha offer Sesshomaru different things as mates, so I'm trying really hard to have them fall in love differently, if that makes sense lol xD

No Fan of Kikyo- Well, I'm thinking of keeping it to body only( with only one or 2 exceptions). As silly as it sounds I don't want Sesshomaru too overpowered because that'd be boring. But he's gonna get an upgrade for his final boss, so no worries

Smiles- No, sorry xD Sesshomaru is 100% done with that nonsense. However, you will be getting lots of Inuyasha, so hopefully that will sate your thirst for fem characters for a while xD


	9. Chapter 9

"Again!" The dragon snarled, his immense length curling around the Foo-Dog, smoke drifting upwards from fleshy nostrils. From his teeth an acidic saliva dripped, hissing through rock in the places where it dripped down.

" ** _Breathe fire_**!" Sesshomaru ordered, his fangs overlapping his bottom gums slightly as the order ripped from his lungs. He was sweaty and tired, but finally- they were both starting to see some progress from him.

Youshi startled, turning his head away from the Foo-Dog long enough to belch a long stream of yellow fire from his throat. The rocks nearby blackened and the very air was scorched. Sesshomaru's nose stung painfully from the smell.

The dragon's blue scales glittered as he got right up in Sesshomaru's personal space, his scaly muzzle bumping Sesshomaru's chest plate and knocking him back a few feet.

"Again!"

The Daiyokai snarled horribly and placed a hand on that gigantic muzzle. His hand like a tiny freckle on that armored hide.

" ** _Lay down. You won't touch me again."_** Sesshomaru ordered, staring the gigantic dragon down. His golden eyes.. changed, then.

The pupils slitting into narrow vertical slips. The whites turning a color Youshi was surprised by – a brilliant mercury that matched Sesshomaru's hair.

Silver and golden eyes.

The blue dragon trembled all over as he fought the order, teeth bared, hot breath ruffling Sesshomaru's clothing and tail as he panted.

And yet the tiny pressure of that minuscule hand, paired with that unblinking gaze, was enough.

It took well over five minutes, but the dragon slowly laid all the way down, from tail to snout.

Once he was down Sesshomaru removed his hand. Panting, he combed a hand through his hair, grooming the sixty inches of locks. His hair was wet with sweat and stringy from how long they'd been moving around.

He felt filthy. Perhaps a bath was in order when he returned to the Palace.

"Sesshomaru. You'd best rest for a moment." Youshi said softly, not moving from his spot on the ground.

Even as he said that, a sudden pain shot straight through his head- right at both temples, as if he'd been shot with an arrow. The Foo-Dog yelped in pain, dropping to his knees. With Sesshomaru's concentration broken, the dragon lifted himself to his feet, examining Sesshomaru's eyes with interest.

The Daiyokai was rubbing his temples and resisting the urge to whimper. What the heck was that stabbing pain? It felt as if just for a moment, there were little bumps under his skin, just above his ears.

He raised a brow when he noted Youshi's gaze.

"Can I help you?"

"Your dragon blood is trying to manifest physically. We'd best rest unless you'd like to keep those eyes – or other features- permanently."

Sesshomaru huffed. " What are you referring to?" and the dragon paused.

"You have not released me, yet."

"Oh. **_I release you."_**

Youshi held up a claw, disappearing down the gigantic black hole that led to his nest. After some sounds of clinking and clattering , the dragon returned, offering a small mirror to the Daiyokai.

Sesshomaru lifted it and gave a soft gasp.

His eyes were dragon eyes. The pupil fully slitted, and the whites a solid silver. " I didn't know.. this could even happen." Sesshomaru murmured, a few fingers still on his right temple. Luckily, he could see that the pupils were already starting to fatten up again. But the process was slow.

Youshi was right. He'd have to be careful. No need to let out the truth of his dragon blood too early.

"Nor I. I've heard of it of course, but this is the first time I've seen it." Youshi said, rolling over onto his belly and exposing his larger belly scales- a softer shade of blue than the rest of his body. He scooted close to the Foo-Dog, sniffing along his shoulder and head. Sesshomaru snarled and pushed the gigantic muzzle away.  
"Personal space, Youshi. We've talked about this." He snarled, but the dragon simply huffed.

" Yes, we'd best be careful. I can smell the beginnings of horn buds. Your temples ached, did they not?" Sesshomaru gave the dragon a small glare and dropped the hand that had been massaging his temple.

" Do not be ridiculous. As if a Foo-Dog could grow horns."

"Your sire Inu No Takahiro had them, did he not?" Youshi mentioned, casually.

Sesshomaru tensed a bit. The dragon wasn't wrong.

That was the last thing he needed.

"You are improving. Just in time, too. It won't be long before the 'dragon's forces are upon you." Youshi murmured, looking up into the sky impassively.

Sesshomaru looked over at the dragon, asking softly. " Do you know the precise date?" and the dragon shook his head, picking at a fang with one of his claws. " I see a few paths. I can tell you that it will happen within the next three moon cycles."

"Why do you mock Ryuu? He is the proper heir to the Dragon Tribe… Despite his unfortunate personality." Sesshomaru asked the gigantic dragon while muttering the last part under his breath.

"Sesshomaru." One red and golden eye looked in his direction. "One can hold titles without ever earning or unlocking the potential of the title given. Ryuu is more lizard than dragon. Dragons are supposed to be loyal, powerful but fair. He has not grown since he was a small boy- not learned to feel guilt, sorrow, empathy like you have. He imitates these emotions, but he is stunted. **_You_** are almost more dragon than he is, now. Be sure that he knows it, before the end."

Sesshomaru went quiet, then. A small breeze picking up his hair and twirling it in the wind.

"Before the end." The Daiyokai murmured very softly, closing his eyes for a moment. His ear twitched slightly as he thought he heard little footsteps. He kept his eyes closed, enjoying the sunlight and waiting for the last signs of his dragon blood to disappear.

"Hey. Mister Doggie."

As Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open, Youshi lifted a tiny drakeling away from the Foo-Dog, huffing, " Haru, you're supposed to stay in the cave while I'm training Lord Sesshomaru. You know that."

" I don't mind." Sesshomaru said, looking up at the little drakeling in interest. He was wearing black hakama pants and a pretty purple kimono and hung from Youshi's mouth in embarrassment. Tiny black horns sprouted from his temples. He had a purple and blue scale pattern, and his eyes were a bright teal blue.

The enormous dragon rolled his eyes before setting the drakeling down. Haru ran about halfway to Sesshomaru and then, overwhelmed by his boldness, ran back to Youshi's arm and clung to it.

"Haru, you obviously wanted to say hello. This is Lord Sesshomaru." Youshi murmured. His enormous snout gently pushed the boy forward until he was about a foot from the Foo-Dog.

His tiny tail tucked up between his legs as Sesshomaru crouched, not wanting to scare the little dragon. It'd been a long time since he'd seen one this young. Dragons usually didn't stray far from the dragon territories after all.

"Hello Haru." He murmured, and the boy met his gaze for a few seconds before flushing and looking down at his own little scaly feet. Dragons often went barefoot- their clawed feet weren't too comfortable in shoes.

"You must have been in that egg that I gave to Youshi a while back. How did you know I was a dog?" He asked curiously. His voice very soft. The same one that he used with his own pups. Youshi watched the exchange with interest, his jaw propped up on his clawed hand.

Haru pointed at Sesshomaru's tail and gave a little nod. Sesshomaru swept it foreward, laying it close by Haru's feet.

"Would you like to touch it?"

"Yes, please, Mister Sesshomaru."

"Go ahead, then." At first Haru was very gentle, but to Sesshomaru's surprise the drakeling soon flopped out on it like it was a couch.

"Wowiie its so soft! This is amazing!" Haru murmured, his little eyes wide and sparkling with wonder. He'd never touched anything this soft in his life!

As the boy played with his tail Youshi murmured, " I apologize for his crassness. I have yet to figure out how to sneak him out into the world. For I have no human form."

Sesshomaru lifted his tail and the drakeling with it, huffing in amusement at the delighted squeal. " I may be able to help you … if all turns out well, in the end." He then gave the dragon a curious glance.

"I cannot deny I wish you were beside us on that day."

Youshi gave him a look and murmured, "Lord Sesshomaru, that is not my role in this world." His eyes meeting the Foo-Dogs in a rare moment of seriousness.

"We all have our own roles to play- you, me, Haru." He said, his gaze going down to the little drakeling who wasn't paying any attention. "And some are harder than others. Yours, my lord, is harder than most. But believe me when I say the more difficult the path, the greater the reward."

"I require no great reward. I only desire the safety of my family. And my mate." Sesshomaru murmured, lifting the tail a bit higher and earning another pleased squeal.

That great red eye leaned towards him. Sesshomaru could see his own reflection in that huge eye, and his own widened slightly.

The dragon murmured, " In this world Sesshomaru, a family of Daiyokai reaching maturation is a high reward indeed."

And though he wanted to contest him, the Foo-Dog knew somewhere in his gut that the dragon was correct.

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Inuyasha knocked lightly on Sesshomaru's door.

"Come in, Inuyasha." The Diaoykai murmured. Inuyasha walked in, giving a surprised look at Sesshomaru. He looked kinda… beat up, and smelled of smoke.

"Are you all right?"

Sesshomaru nodded tiredly, pushing the paperwork on his desk away and setting his writing brush back in the pot to keep it wet.

"Fine. I've been attending... Voice lessons." He joked dryly. The joke of course, flew over the hanyou's head as she muttered, "Jeez, take is easy you ass. Your voice is raspy as all hell."

Inuyasha's ears flicked a bit in discomfort. Sesshomaru's raspy voice was kind of… alluring.

She quickly shoved the thought away.

" I was thinking of visiting Totosai to see if he can do anything about Tetsaiga. I've been training as hard as I can but I'm still worried it's not gonna be enough. And I want to do my part. I don't want to be stuck behind the wall. I want to be fighting right beside you and Diaozuan."

Sesshomaru paused. It wasn't a terrible idea. And on Ah-Un, it wouldn't take too long to get over there.

His yokai crawled nervously under his skin. Not at all liking the idea of Inuyasha fighting outside the wall, not matter how noble the idea was.

"Very well. I will accompany you." Sesshomaru said, getting up out of his chair and flipping his tail over one shoulder.

Both peeked in on the pups before leaving, as they'd return before dawn if they were lucky.

They were in their usual pile. Ame, Toshi, and Katsu, with Inukezi and Rin off in their own bedrooms.

 _I need to do everything I can to protect them. And to help you. I don't want to be a burden. I'm sick of not pulling my weight._

Inuyasha's claws tightened on the wooden door frame, leaving four little marks. Sesshomaru leaned into her slightly and pressed a kiss to one of her ears.

 _Rest your heart. I am aware of how hard you are training._

Sesshomaru whispered via their connection. The hanyou flushed and swatted him away.

"Oi. Easy on the ears. They're sensitive."

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow and Inuyasha saw a glint of white fang.

 _I will be sure to keep that in mind._

Inuyasha squawked, " Hey! Do **_not_** start pulling that Diaozuan crap with me!" clonking Sesshomaru's chest plate with the butt of her sword. Earning another one of those low amused huffs from the Lord of the West as he thought:

 _This is entertaining._

Sesshomaru's tail curled in the air. _This explains why Diao teases me so often._

Inuyasha cursed lowly under her breath as they walked, keeping her chin up and not making eye contact with the Daiyokai. Together they walked out to the stables. Inuyasha was a little hesitant around the two-headed dragon, but after feeding it some oats, the dragon seemed to warm up to the hanyou.

During the ride, they occasionally chatted but for the most part, rode in comfortable silence. Sesshomaru was one of the few people Inuyasha could stay with and remain in comfortable silence. With others, it was usually strained.

When they arrived, the lava fields were glowing with brilliant red and yellow veins. He and Sesshomaru made sure to land Ah-Un in a safe place before walking over to the giant skull where Totosai often resided.

"Oi Totosai, you home?" Inuyasha shouted, glancing around and slowly walking around the length of the old smith's home.

The old man suddenly appeared out of the sky, floating down on his three-eyed cow and landing several feet away.

"Oh well look who it is! Lord Sesshomaru and.. apparently, Lady Inuyasha. I wonder which sword you broke this time." Totosai said tiredly, leading his cow into her stall. Inuyasha bristled, "What was that, you old bag? I'll have you know I take good care of Tetsaiga!" while Sesshomaru remained impassive.

Totosai soon rounded the corner, "I'll be the judge of that. All right, hand him over." And the hanyou obeyed, somewhat reluctantly.

The old man's gaze lingered on the hanyou before looking at the sword quietly. Running a few leathery fingers over the blade.

"Inuyasha! Look what you've done to it! The poor lad. All these nicks and scratches…No, this won't do at all." Totosai toddled inside and the two Foo-Dogs followed. It was warm- there was a small fire in the hearth, and something cooking in a pot above that.

Sesshomaru settled cross-legged in a corner, half-closing his eyes as the two of them chatted. His throat was sore and the ash from the fire was irritating it somewhat.

Totosai was busy lamenting Tetsaiga's condition in a corner, buffing out scratches with a bit of cloth and pounding out dents with his hammer. " Well no wonder it's not been working for you properly! Honestly, Inuyasha. You'd think you'd be better at heeding his warnings by now…"

"Warnings about what?"

Totosai examined one of Inuyasha's palms. Sure enough, they were red and irritated. " You should have come to me right away. This sword is too much for your arm strength in this form. We need to tune the sword to your female form in order to wield it successfully. We may have to remove a few of the attacks temporarily as well."

Inuyasha's ears twitched a bit, turning towards the old man.

"Tune it to my female form? What the heck does that mean?"

Totosai slapped Inuyasha's shoulder playfully. " Means you're gonna have to get in touch with your feminine side, kiddo! So let's get started." He waddled out of the cave and Inuyasha followed, reluctantly.

"Oh boy." Inuyasha snarled, her ears flattening out to either side of her head in annoyance.

Outside, the lava flowed lazily. Streams of steam billowed, and Inuyasha's bare feet ached uncomfortably on the hot rock. The area they were in was safe enough, but they were pretty close to some very low-moving lava.

"So! You remember what happened when I had to reforge Tetsaiga with your own fang, Inuyasha?" Totosai murmured, still keeping an eye on the sword. Inuyasha ran a hand along the shining silver blade and nodded, " Yeah, yeah. All that stuff about me using my own strength to protect myself, instead of my father. It was damn heavy then, too."

"Well, this will be along the same lines. Now- who are you usually protecting when you use the Tetsaiga? I assume you're no longer travelling with your friends, so it isn't them."

Inuyasha shook her head, "Nah. Usually its just myself now. Or Sesshomaru. But pretty soon, its gonna be the pups, and so I need to be ready."

The old man nodded and said after a moment, " To begin- are there any attacks you feel comfortable shedding off? We must get the weight of the sword down, so we need to remove a few of those."

Inuyasha looked at the blade thoughtfully. " Well.. as long as I can get em back… I guess I could get rid of the barrier breaking Tetsaiga. I don't use that one too often." She jerked in surprise when the hammer came down on the Tetsaiga. A redness seemed to seep out of the blade and cover the hammer before slowly vanishing, soaking into the blackness.

"Lord Sesshomaru. May I borrow Bakusaiga for a moment?" Totosai called. Sesshomaru got to his feet with an irritated huff and made his way over, drawing Bakusaiga . He flipped it in one graceful movement, his hand now on the blade and the handle pointed towards Totosai.

The old man took it gently, his gnarled hand running down the blade.

"Now, this is what a sword should look like! Near perfect condition." He said, lifting it and looking down the length of the blade. There were a few small scratches but it was nowhere near the minefield that Tetsaiga had been. To Sesshomaru's surprise, Totosai slapped the blade lightly along the part of Inuyasha's hair, earning a yelp.

"Maybe Sesshomaru should be cleaning your blade after every fight, eh? At least he seems to know how!"

Inuyasha rubbed her head and snarled, "All right, all right. I get it! Are you gonna fix Tetsaiga for me or not, old man?" Totosai set the hammer lightly on Bakusaiga, almost thoughtfully. That same redness from Inuyasha's sword seeped out of the hammer, and slowly was absorbed into the Bakusaiga. For a moment, the blade changed into a brilliant red before switching back to its usual mercury color.

Inuyasha was heated, "H-hey! You didn't say you were gonna give it to Sesshomaru-" but Totosai stopped her.

"Its my impression that you'll need all the help you can get for this upcoming battle. If you're fighting together, then it'd make more sense to give Bakusaiga some of these attacks rather than have them stored in my home, totally useless. Don't you think?"

The hanyou snarled, " Yeah, but how do I know he's gonna give em back?"

Totosai looked confused. " Well, I'd assume you'd know your mate better than that. Besides-" earning himself a clonk on the head from a closed fist from the hanyou. Sesshomaru leaned against one of the nearby ribcages, crossing his arms in vague amusement at the little scene in front of him.

"We. Are. Not. **_Mates_**. You really have gone senile, haven't you?"

"Well you've got his mark. I assumed…"As Totosai grumbled and rubbed the lump, Inuyasha then whirled on Sesshomaru. "And you. Why aren't you out clearing this up, eh? I'd think you'd be the first one to clear up that little misunderstanding!"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, crinkling at the corners in clear amusement.

 _I think you know why I'm not bothering to clarify._ He ended the sentence with a slow and deliberate wink.

Inuyasha's face went as red as her robes as she spluttered, " You- you asshole! I'll kill you!" yet she was tripped up by Totosai, who managed to snag her sword with his hammer.

"Now now Inuyasha. Back to the matter at hand. Does the sword feel a bit lighter now?"

Inuyasha's eyes were still on Sesshomaru as she hissed, " Yep-perfect to run him through with." Totosai turned the hanyou around to break the eye contact between the two, walking the hanyou a good distance from the Daiyokai despite her protests. "Oh really? Let's see your wind scar then."

Inuyasha hesitated, growling lowly once more at Sesshomaru over her shoulder before swinging the sword backwards, yelling out the attack.

The gigantic tunnel of wind ripped across the landscape, creating five deep crevices in the earth. Yet… it seemed Totosai was aware that it was still less powerful than before.

"Hmm. Interesting. Let's go ahead and take off one more." Totosai murmured. This time, they both agreed to take off the dragon-scale Tetsaiga- but for some reason, Bakusaiga rejected absorption of that attack.

"Odd." Totosai murmured, flipping the sword back in Sesshomaru's direction. The Daiyokai caught the sword deftly and ran his claws along it once, feeling it pulse faintly. There was a reason it hadn't absorbed that attack… and Sesshomaru trusted the sword enough to know what it was doing.

Perhaps another dragon-based attack just wasn't a good idea, considering how close he'd come to sprouting horns with his training with Youshi.

"Again!"

This time, the wind scar ripped across the lava, its power crackling in the air all around them. The mark it left was at least twice as long as before, and Sesshomaru could hear the metal ringing faintly.

"Hell yeah! That's more like it!" Inuyasha said excitedly, her face flushed with exhilaration. As she gripped the handle though, she noted a slight change in color.

The blade slowly turned a soft, glittery pink from hilt to tip. Her ears went up and tilted forward as she tried to listen to the blade, but the words were a bit muffled.

"What the-?"

"Ah, its as I thought." Totosai nodded. " Too many different abilities- it was blocking your ability to recognize anything new that this female form might offer. Remember, Inuyasha- you won't just be protecting yourself anymore. You'll be protecting your children. You gained access to the sword through protecting a human. Perhaps it will offer you something different to protect your family."

One thing was clear- it was a new attack, and Tetsaiga wanted Inuyasha to try it out.

"Why does it have to be pink, though." Inuyasha muttered an annoyance, waving the blade around once in frustration.

"What are you even called?" She whispered softly.

 _It is called 'Corpse Flower' according to Bakusaiga._ Sesshomaru's voice cut gently through his thoughts. Inuyasha bristled and raised a fist, " I didn't ask you! Shaddup!" before looking back down at the blade.

Well. It was worth a shot. Inuyasha lifted her sword and swiped it in the air, calling out "Corpse Flower!" and blinking in surprise.

Glitter dispersed in the air in the form of a huge arc. And everywhere that glitter met the ground, huge plants sprouted. They were very strange looking- they had an upside-down bowl at the bottom, with what looked like a sword shaft sticking out of the middle of each. The insides of the plants were a strange maroon and they seemed to be releasing something into the air.

Inuyasha ran over and started poking one moodily.

"Thanks, Tetsaiga, I hate it."

"Now now. I think there are more to these than appearances." Totosai crouched to examine the flowers. Deftly, he yanked a lizard out of his left sleeve and set it nearby one of the flowers. When it crawled close, it was immediately grabbed by one of the dark leaves, and wrapped lengthwise. In moments, it seemed to be completely digested.

"Huh. Interesting. Lord Sesshomaru- would you mind sending a little miasma over towards these flowers?" Totosai called over his shoulder. The Daiyokai huffed and lifted a hand, a purple cloud drifting over to where Inuyasha and Totosai stood.

As soon as it got close to the flowers, it was immediately dispersed by the strange pollen they seemed to be giving off.

"Aha. So it dissolves miasma completely. And look – none of the plants were effected." Totosai murmured, rubbing his chin a little.

Inuyasha squinted at the old man.

"Why did you have a lizard up your sleeve."

The elderly gentleman huffed, "I don't tell you how to live your life, Inuyasha." And gave one of the flowers a quick pat of approval with his hammer. "If Tetsaiga gave you this, then its definitely going to be useful in your next fight. I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it."

"Yeah, yeah." Inuyasha stood, sheathing the sword and looking over the flowers with mixed emotions. Trading the barrier and the dragon-scale for this? She was conflicted. She trusted her sword… and maybe she'd just have to pray that that trust was not misplaced.

Inuyasha and Totosai trained for a while longer, but it was clear that the Tetsaiga, while still not at full power, was infinitely better off than before. And that was a relief to both the hanyou, and the Daiyokai.

As they rode Ah-Un on the way back, Inuyasha curled up in the seat, thinking about what Sesshomaru had said earlier.

 _I think you know why I'm not bothering to clarify._

She knew he'd just been teasing, but there had been a grain of truth in his words too.

It was still so hard to imagine that he wanted her back. And, that it wasn't just a physical thing… related to the fact that weren't blood relations.

She snuck a glance in his direction. He was his usual perfect self- sharply pointed ears. His hair draping down his shoulders in a graceful wave, like a curtain. Just barely, she could see the stripes on both of his cheeks from here.

His ear twitched slightly; and suddenly, his face turned halfway, one eye meeting her gaze. Perhaps somehow being able to sense that she was looking at him.

"Inuyasha? What is it?"

She pulled away from him, pulling up her legs and crossing her arms over them. " It's…" She wanted to let it go, but she couldn't. And to be fair, it was sort of an important thing to discuss, if … if this was all going where she was thinking.

"How come you never actually finished me off? I mean, after Tetsaiga and father's tomb, I just felt like you weren't really… trying. Even when I went crazy in my full demon form, you could've just killed me easily. My nose was good enough that I could tell. But you didn't."

Sesshomaru raised a brow in surprise and looked slightly uncomfortable. So, the hanyou was a bit quicker on the uptake than he realized.

"I recognized traits in you that I found … intriguing. Your bombastic nature. Your ambition to become a full demon. Your protectiveness over that weak ningen priestess. Understand that up until that point, I was mostly around other Daiyokai like myself. Those traits are rare and sometimes frowned upon depending on tribe." He murmured almost thoughtfully.

"You were the most irritating being I had ever met. But you were also honest to the point of crassness. Compassionate to human and yokai suffering alike. Sincere. I could go on but for fear of inflating your ego far too much." He said with a slight flash of fang.

"To put it simply, you interested me. And it is also these qualities that make you a desirable mate."

Inuyasha went a little red around the ears that that and muttered, " Even though I'm a hanyou?"

Sesshomaru tied the reins around the horn of the saddle and turned around to face her, much to her surprise. She scooted back just a bit. Had she said the wrong thing?

But set a hand very gently on top of hers.

"It is my belief that it is your human blood that gave you those traits, Inuyasha. I am still trying to learn them." Sesshomaru paused and slipped his hand into hers, being very careful of the claws.

"It is the **_human_** in you that brings out the finest in me." The Daiyokai murmured, his gaze so soft that she could scarcely meet it without having her own eyes water. She blinked the sensation away furiously but to no avail.

And felt the tracks of hot tears down her cheeks. Embarrassed she went to wipe them away with a sleeve, but he stopped her.

Instead cupping her face very gently. She felt the slight scrape of cool claws.

" Never doubt that you are worthy of my affection and love, Inuyasha. Should you- wish to receive it." He murmured and wiped the tears on her face, leaning over and pressing a sweet kiss to the center of her forehead.

He was surprised then, to feel her grab him and pull him close. Her head tucked under his chin, those little silken ears folded. She was gripping him so hard that he heard his kimono ripping from her claws, but he didn't much mind.

To hear from **_Sesshomaru_** that he accepted her as a hanyou was almost more than she could bear.

She was shuddering slightly and he felt hot wetness near his collarbone, and knew she was crying .He relaxed and wrapped his arms around her; one around her shoulders and the other across her back.

Their hair waved together in the breeze. A soft mercury flag, and another, just a few shades darker. The sun glancing off of it like water on a hot day.

He felt her nuzzle up to his neck and moved some of his hair to make her a bit more comfortable. Too bad he hadn't brought his hairtie. Ah, well.

Suddenly, a sharp pain.

Sesshomaru gasped in surprise, his body trying to jerk away from her. But she held him fast, and when he glanced down, he saw red and blue in Inuyasha's eyes.

Her teeth were deep in his neck.

And he shuddered in pain as venom laced its way through his veins, so hot it felt as if a match had been lit inside him. He gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut.

 _How? How- Inuyasha is a hanyou, she shouldn't be able to –_

And yet. He felt that awful itchiness behind his neck. So terrible his claws twitched, wanting to rip the skin off-

And then a cooler tinging as the mark solidified.

And in his mind's eye, he could see their bond-

Two red strings of fate twisting together, lacing in a beautiful dance. And then they tied together.

An eternal knot.

He felt her teeth leave him and looked down in concern- she promptly passed out in his arms, a line of bright blue venom dripping from the corner of her mouth.

Sesshomaru sighed and gathered her in his lap- her legs over one of his arms and her torso in another. Rubbing Ah-Un's snout when one of the dragon's heads leaned back and nudged Inuyasha in concern.

"She'll be all right. She just needs rest." He assured, rubbing the mark on the back of his neck wearily and slowly turning the both of them around. Taking Ah-Un's reins in one hand and blinking away sleep.

He could feel it; her exhaustion, her yokai's satisfaction at having marked such a strong Daiyokai. He would protect and love her, she was sure. And in return she would give him beautiful, strong pups. Her train of thought brought a pink blush to his cheeks.

 _She marked me._

He thought and felt strangely nervous. Shocked. A little angry, even.

He was now bound body and soul to the hanyou, just like Diaozuan.

But to his surprise, there was also an underlying sense of relief. No more messing around. No more tiptoeing around the inevitable.

Now that he was marked it was only a matter of time before they became mates. Either through their own decision- or a decision made by their yokai in the middle of the night.

So the sooner, the better. His yokai wasn't exactly the most patient being. And considering how many times he'd felt her having explicit dreams about him, it was probably safe to assume she wouldn't wait long to finish their bond either.

The truth of it was both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. Never would he have imagined he would be bound to the hanyou in such a way. But…

He looked back down at her, his expression a mix of exasperation and affection.

 _You are never going to stop causing me grief, are you. Just full of one surprise after another._

Inuyasha stretched a bit in his grip and then curled up tighter against his chest. Marking him properly had taken every bit of energy from her. After the stretch, she made a small mewling noise of contentment. He felt his own heart flutter a bit and pressed his forehead to hers.

 _My little hanyou._

He carried her back to her room, hanging her sword on the wall and tucking her in before going to take a long-awaited bath.

At this time of the morning, the baths were mercifully empty. He left his armor in his room and, once by the pools, stripped quickly and gracefully, keeping a towel draped over one shoulder as he entered the pool.

The mineral water smelled of salt and herbs and was steaming silver in the pale morning light. He stepped in and immersed himself up to just under his nose. His silver hair and tail floating along the surface of the water and the minerals tingling his hide and his new mark. It was at the nape of his neck, just under where his hairline began. The exact location of his mark on the hanyou.

A part of him was still terrified of being bound to Inuyasha. After all, the hanyou hadn't exactly reacted positively to his mark before, and that had been done to save his life.

Perhaps it would be better, for now, if Inuyasha was kept in the dark about this. Of course, she'd probably figure it out on her own in no short time… It wasn't exactly an easy thing to conceal. He'd also have to start training Inuyasha to block their connection. After all, it wasn't exactly convenient to be feeling her emotions all the time. And now that their bond was sealed, it'd probably only be more intense.

His gaze wandered over the many different bars of soaps in his personal collection. Eventually, he settled on something strong and got to scrubbing. His throat was healing slowly and the hot water was helping to take the stress from his lean body.

He dipped himself under a few times and flipped his hair Ariel-style before settling back in one corner of the pools. Enjoying the way the steam lightly coated his skin, leaving it glittering with dew.

 _I wonder how I would have reacted, if I'd been marked back then._

He thought, propping his feet up on the side of the pool. His tail floated into an idle circle, following the light current of the water.

Well. That was easy enough. He really would've probably killed the hanyou. It was no small deal to be bonded to someone after all.

He looked down at his own reflection, at the double stripes on his ribcage and the other set that graced his hips.

Then again. The bond could only be created if both parties had those strong feelings of affection and protection. If he'd really felt that way the venom would've been just that- and Sesshomaru certainly did not want to experience Inuyasha's venom. Not after what the hanyou had gone through from just a drop of Sesshomaru's venom.

He let out a long sigh.

 _This is just what I did after Diaozuan marked me._

He realized with some amusement. Old habits died hard.

Sesshomaru soon grabbed a mirror and flicked his hair out of the way to see it.

It was a pretty thing- Inu No Taisho's mark. Or rather, Inuyasha's mark, for they were one and the same. Perfectly round: a twisting, turning Foo-Dog, jaws open on a silent howl of victory. Mostly black, but with a glittery blue undertone and red eyes.

 _Well, well well. Look whose got themselves a new tattoo._

Diaozuan purred, the warmth of the mark Sesshomaru's his chest flaring. The Daiyokai growled and pulled his legs closer, his tail looping over his waist.

 _I wasn't the one who placed it._

 _I know, orchid. But goddamn, it was about time._ He felt amusement on the fox's end, and growled again a little deeper.

 _Silence._

 _I am happy for both of you._ The Foo-Dog colored slightly. Though he would never admit it, he was relieved that Diaozuan approved of the bond as it hadn't exactly been planned.

 _It was quite… unexpected._

There was silence for a moment before Diaozuan said softly, _So was ours, love. And I am forever grateful that your yokai nudged us along._

 _Ours was… different._

 _Not really. You should get some rest love. You feel tired._ Diaozuan murmured before finally disappearing from his thoughts for the moment.

He wasn't wrong- between the lesson with Youshi, the visit to Totosai, and the new mark on his neck Sesshomaru was exhausted.

He stood up, the water running down his body in silver rivulets and dripping from his hair. He hung it out to one side and squeezed as much water out as possible. Then, shook out his tail like a dog before slipping back into his clothes and heading off to bed.

Feeling Inuyasha's consciousness pulsing softly in the back of his mind always.

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No fan of Kikyo- I may or may not have taken your suggestion lol. But, Inuyasha still won't be at full power when they arrive. Its all a part of my grand master plan, you see.

EatEmUp: I based him off of Dark from DNAngel, loosely. He was one of my favorite characters when I was younger, and I felt like his personality would meld nicely with Sesshomaru lol. Nah, Sesshomaru got help from Youshi, and Ryuu was his enemy, but I don't remember any other dragons being involved. But I could be wrong xp I am sometimes not super good at editing lol.


	10. Chapter 10

Five days later, Sesshomaru sat in the throne room, Inuyasha at his side, standing with her hand nervously on Tetsaiga.

It was a sunny day- rays of light filtered through the east-facing windows and created pretty pools of warmth all over the audience. As usual, the throne room was filled with all manner of different yokai- mostly sheep and dog, but plenty of others as well. Many yokai called the palace home.

Sesshomaru watched until the doors closed. Many of the Zodiac representatives were here as well… not that he minded. He had not given away the purpose of the gathering but was pleased to see most had attended out of sheer curiosity.

As with any large crowd it was fairly noisy- talking, shuffling, adjusting of papers and bags.

A few yokai closer to the front noted Inuyasha's change in gender. She merely snarled at their interest, her nose wrinkling up with distaste. She was not about to be answering any questions about that.

"Silence."

Sesshomaru murmured, his voice scarcely above a whisper and still raspy from Youshi's training. It was taking his throat longer to heal than he thought.

Though he hadn't given an order the room went from noisy to relative silence in a matter of seconds. Most yokai waited with rapt attention- especially the common yokai, who were always eager to hear from Sesshomaru. They liked him as a ruler far better than Inukimi.

"I have called you here to inform the citizens of this Palace of an important development. It has come to my attention that within the next three moon cycles, the Palace is going to be attacked by a mix of cat and Dragon forces." Several gasps were heard from the crowd.

"They are not coming to attack the citizens of the Palace- they are coming for me, and my family. Therefore, I think it is only fair to offer those here an alternative, should the battle go awry. I would highly encourage the elderly, women, and children to leave for the accommodations I have arranged in the pig and sheep tribes. You will be well-looked after until this conflict passes. Those who wish to stay, understand that you will be responsible for your own should the barrier and walls be breached. Though I will be honored by those who choose to stay and fight beside us, I understand it is even more honorable to choose a path that will ensure your family's safety." Sesshomaru shifted slightly on the seat: Inuyasha's mark was throbbing on his neck. The hanyou's nervousness and anger transferring to him hotter than ever. Very annoying.

"I will now answer questions."

Hands shot up almost immediately.

"My Lord?"

It was a sheep yokai- a ram. His long grey horns curled gracefully around his ears as he dipped his head to Sesshomaru and went into a bit of a bow. The Foo-Dog acknowledged this with a slight incline of his own head.

"I wanted to thank you for giving us this choice. And… while I'll probably send my wife and child away, I'd like to stay and fight. Would it be possible for us to start setting up trainings every evening with the guards? I want to be as ready as I can."

This was met with murmurs of agreement, and Sesshomaru was pleasantly surprised. " Very well. I will arrange a schedule and post it outside the facilities by the end of today."

Sesshomaru spent a good-half hour answering to the best of his ability. Of course, telling them that Toshi was sight-blessed was out of the question, so he had to avoid certain answers involving how he knew the information was correct. Several times he was forced to send calming vibes to Inuyasha, who was wound tighter than anything and absolutely detested crowds. She seemed to calm almost immediately and he was relieved- now that she was receiving more of his emotions, perhaps it'd be easier to calm her than before.

Of course, she also looked quite confused, and glanced around the room as if expecting to see an answer. When really the answer was pasted on her own skin.

And his.

He hadn't told her about the mark yet. There was no need to just yet… and besides, he wasn't quite ready for whatever reaction she would have.

 _Inuyasha._

The hanyou jerked slightly. Hell! That had scared the crap out of her!

And… since when was Sesshomaru's voice so clear in her own head? It was as if he was speaking right into her ear. Not just a whisper, like before.

Her ears swiveled back on her head a bit in irritation. Stupid Sesshomaru using the damn mark to communicate. After she'd expressed her distaste for it. However, even Inyasha had to admit it was extremely useful for communicating something private.

 _When they start evacuating, I want to monitor their progress until they reach the border._

Inuyasha tilted her head for a minute, then suddenly asked-

 _You don't think they'd go so far as to go after evacuees, do you?_

 _I simply with to ensure the safety of those I can. Would you like to accompany me?_

 _Psh. Damn near anything that gets me outta these walls I'll agree to._

The hanyou huffed, crossing her arms a bit.

Afterwards when they were walking back to their home, Inuyasha mentioned casually, " Hey, is your neck okay? You were rubbing it during your little speech." Her hand reached out for him in concern.

She wasn't about to mention that her admiration for Sesshomaru had grown slightly. She hated that it was so, but there was not much she could do to fight it anymore. And a part of her was getting tired of trying. After all, she'd in some ways always admired Sesshomaru, though it had been tinged by anger and envy. Seeing the way he interacted with everyone at the Palace, giving them a choice to leave rather than accept the inevitable… He was a good ruler. Like, a really good one. Cold perhaps and calculating yes- but if things went to hell in a handbasket…

Why, he could have just saved hundreds, if not a few thousand lives.

He took her hand and gently returned it to her side, saying flatly, " I am fine. Just sore from overexertion. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be off to your own?"

She blinked in surprise. "Sesshomaru?" Though he appeared perfectly calm, his eyes were that alarming combination of red and blue that warned others to stay away. He felt painful nudges from his yokai, trying to surface, trying to change his words so he could take his mate back with him to their nest and-

Oh dear.

He shook his head until he felt that urge die down and opened his eyes once more. A calm yellow. " Go on, then. I will be expecting you for dinner."

And to her surprise, he took his leave of her.

One home, he flopped out on his bed clothes and all, and gave a low miserable groan.

Their yokai energies were bouncing off of each other in the worst way. It had only been five days but he'd never been so sexually frustrated in his life- well… save for when he was in heat in that awful woman's body.

It was mostly her fault, too. Though he could tell Inuyasha was doing her best to hide it, she'd been having more of those explicit dreams involving him. And now that their connection was closer, he'd occasionally get images along with those rushes of feelings that somehow made everything worse.

Problem was- he wasn't exactly sure how to have the talk with Inuyasha. It needed to happen soon before their yokai made the decision for them but…

What would he say?

How would he explain yokai mating to the hanyou? How, just before intercourse, it was normal for potential mates to initiate fighting, to make sure their potential mate-to-be was strong and healthy?

How, since it was the first time Inuyasha's yokai had marked another, she'd probably be aggressive as hell to ensure Sesshomaru was worthy of her?

It wasn't exactly an easy conversation to have.

Inukezi's light knock invaded his thoughts. He sighed and muttered, facedown, " Inukezi. Let me wallow in misery just a tad longer."

He heard a soft huff from Inuyasha's son, " Jeez. You can be just as dramatic as my old man. All right, I'll be back later."

 _I should pull her aside after dinner._

He thought. That'd be a decent enough time- the pups would be off to bed, and certainly out of earshot.

Maybe starting with a little training on how to block each other out wouldn't be a bad idea either. Sesshomaru rose to his feet, grabbing a whale bone shell comb off of the desk and grooming himself for a little while to calm down before heading back outside. No doubt he was probably late to something, or needed somewhere, as was often the case.

As he left he traced the mark on his neck. The warmth of his new mate was different than Diaozuan's to be sure; far more erratic. But calming in its own way.

Not that he ever wanted to give Inuyasha credit, but he was the strongest hanyou Sesshomaru had ever encountered in his many years of life. So perhaps this arrangement wouldn't be too terrible.

 _Still. No need to tell Inuyasha. Not yet._

He was not looking forward to her reaction, not at all.

He was rather taken aback by the whole thing- he could only imagine her reaction would be his, tenfold. It'd taken quite some convincing to lean the mark more in the direction of a familial mark of protection. But now that it was between both of them, the meaning behind the mark would certainly not escape the hanyou's grasp.

He'd like to say time was on their side, but that was not at all the case.

She would understand that by Daiyokai standards they were… **_married_**. And that though it had been her yokai who placed the mark, that fact was irrelevant.

Sesshomaru ran his claws through his hair. His beautiful swath of silvery-mercury hair shone like a beacon in the light as he passed under the sun before disappearing into the Palace.

And he wondered if there could possibly be anything more added to his plate.

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"Inukezi, pass the salt."

Inukezi lifted the tiny container of salt, passing it to Sesshomaru who was caught a little off guard. Inuyasha sat up, growling lowly, " Why you little-"

"You didn't say to who." Inukezi pointed out with a wicked grin. Rin, across the table, giggled behind her hand, which gave Inukezi a slight flush of victory.

Inuyasha hissed, "Obviously I meant to me, you – don't make me come over there. Or I swear to God-"

"Inuyasha. Catch. " Sesshomaru said, his tone indicating a slight warning, flicking the salt in her direction. She caught it deftly in her right hand.

"Inukezi. You know better." He added, his voice just a bit gentler for Inuyasha's male-pup. The boy was a quarter demon; the only traits that were demon were his claw-tipped hands, the golden-green of his eyes, and the slightly longer canines. His ego wilted a bit under Sesshomaru's stare and he muttered a soft, " Sorry, Sesshomaru." Going back to his food.

Sesshomaru's pups were watching the exchange as well, and Ame and Rin leaned close to each other, whispering something and giggling.

Their assortment of food was quite interesting: Inukezi, Rin, and Inuyasha's plates were human food, while Sesshomaru and the rest of the pups were all meat. Cooked, though near raw- bleeding quite a bit when cut.

The Daiyokai cut a slice of the almost-raw meat and set it gently on Inuyasha's plate. When he hanyou made a face, he huffed, " Inuyasha. It's essential for your diet. You're half-demon after all." She picked at it moodily, but soon ate after a very subtle growl from the other Foo-Dog.

Sesshomaru occasionally corrected the pups on etiquette, how to hold their utensils and so forth. But most of them were actually pretty adept which was a relief- except of course, for Inuyasha herself.

" Dad, I nearly teleported like fifteen feet today during one of our games! It was awesome!" Katsu said proudly, puffing out his little chest and emphasizing with a speared bit of meat. Katsu and the others often called Sesshomaru 'dad' or 'Sess', while Inuyasha was more recently 'Inu', 'Yasha', or when they were sassy 'mother'. Katsu seemed more like Inuyasha every day- his cheek stripes were darkening up the older he got into that mature deep blue. Golden orbs looked up at Sesshomaru, and he reached down, running a hand gently down his son's silver hair in approval.

"Excellent. It was a shame I was unable to witness it."

Ame piped up, " A lot of the kids in my classes were talking about leaving in the next few days. Are they leaving because there's gonna be some kind of attack on the Palace soon?"

Sesshomaru nodded. He had informed the pups earlier about the attack, and wasn't surprised that the news was spreading.

" I wanted to give them a choice to leave if they so desired."

She murmured thoughtfully, " Wouldn't it be easier for us to leave, if they're coming after us?" And Sesshomaru said softly, " Yes, little one. But it would be dishonorable to leave, because it means we cannot defend our own territory or family. Inuyasha, Diaozuan and I will keep you pups from harm."

She seemed confused by the answer, and sat chewing thoughtfully, kicking her feet. Inuyasha watched over her with some pride. Unlike Katsu, Ame was starting to look a bit more like Kagome – and think like her too. Perhaps someday, Inuyasha would tell her the truth about her real mother. But not yet.

"Can we start training more, just in case anybody slips through the barrier? I wanna kick some butt!" Katsu huffed, raising the meat again with his chopstick. Toshi raised his own, the crescent mark on his forehead shining.

"Me too! If we can't go outside the wall, then the least we can do is get as strong as we can, just in case stuff goes wrong." The fox it murmured, his purple eyes glancing over at Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. Diaozuan's eyes. Now more than ever, Sesshomaru was glad they'd decided to keep the fox pup within the walls. The two yokai looked at each other before Sesshomaru said, " Well. Your classes will certainly be smaller, if not entirely cancelled, so we will have to find a way to pass the time I suppose."

"Yeah! Battle to the death!" The two touched their food together before sticking it into their mouths. Ame rolled her eyes, and Rin glanced over at Inukezi. " Are you going to join them?"

Inukezi nodded, his eyes glowing softly green in the dying sunlight. " I wanna be able to protect myself, the pups... And you."

Quite the blush snuck up onto Rin's cheeks, and she bowed, excusing herself from the table.

Inuyasha sat in shock, whispering, " Inukezi, what the heck was-" but was promptly stopped by a rather withering glare from Sesshomaru.

"May I be excused?"

Sesshomaru dismissed him, and Inyasha ran off after Inukezi. The Daiyokai rolled his eyes, and Toshi asked softly, " What the heck was that all about?"

" Inukezi and Rin are- courting. And for some reason, that surprised Inuyasha." Sesshomaru explained in an almost bored tone, finishing his own food and wrapping his tail over his shoulder, starting to groom the tip while the pups finished eating.

"What? But- why is she surprised? Haven't they been doing that for like, a while now?"The fox asked, making a disgusted face when Katsu suddenly shoveled the rest of his plate into his mouth.

Sesshomaru blinked, sighed when the pup struggled to swallow, and pressed his throat gently with one claw.

Katsu swallowed in relief, taking a few long grateful breaths. " My life flashed before my eyes." He whispered. Toshi and Sesshomaru shared a look of exasperation.

"That is the second time this week, Katsu. Must I cut your food for you, as if you were a yearling?" Sesshomaru murmured, raising a slender brow. Katsu shook his head and dropped his chin a little, " N-no, sorry." Before looking back up and murmuring, " Yeah, I mean, c'mon. Even I noticed it."

Sesshomaru shrugged smoothly. "Perhaps Inuyasha wished to not notice it." And they discussed a few more things that had happened during the day before he dismissed them all. The servants cleaned the plates and Sesshomaru waited for some time in his own quarters for Inuyasha. But when it became apparent Inuyasha had forgotten about their meeting, he went on a search for the hanyou.

It was easy enough to find Inuyasha when she was busy sulking.

She was resting cross-legged on the back porch.

Somehow she balanced herself perfectly on the railing, her sword's handle right next to her chin as she sat. One foot tapping angrily against the red pained wood. Obviously still a little riled about something.

Her hair waved gently in the wind and he saw her ears tilt in his direction when he closed the porch door.

"Inuyasha. We were supposed to meet."

She jerked a bit and turned around, her feet lacing into the railing. "Oh. Right. Sorry about that. Uh. What did you even wanta meet about, anyways?" She asked, itching the back of one of her ears with her claws.

"Before we come to that… you have talked to Inukezi have you not?"

Inuyasha eyed him warily.

" Talked to him about what?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, just a little. " About intercourse." Inuyasha nearly fell off the railing.

"WHAT!- I – Of course I have! I mean, I was a little vague in some areas, but-"

"That won't do. He's coming of age, Inuyasha."

The hanyou pointed a finger. "W- well what about you, eh? You should talk to Rin about-"

" I spoke with her after her first blood cycle. She is well-informed." Sesshomaru stated dryly, picking at his claws. It hadn't been the most pleasant conversation, but she seemed more comfortable talking to the Daiyokai about it than her human caretakers, so he hadn't minded too much.

"Look, I'll talk to him, all right? Can we just drop it?"

Sesshomaru nodded, and the hanyou gave a relieved sigh before saying, "Soooo? The other thing? What was it?"

 _Unfortunate. That would've been a great segway into what we actually need to discuss._

"You want to learn how to stifle our connection when needed, correct?"

She sat up a bit at that, getting to her feet and slipping Tetsaiga back onto her hip. "Heck yes, I do. So, what's the big secret?"

Sesshomaru blinked, " It is hardly a secret. You use the power of your mind to imagine the strongest barrier you can think of. No cracks, no way to get in. Then you practice opening and closing that barrier. Depending on the power of your mind you should catch on to it fairly easily."

She stood a little straighter. "That doesn't sound so bad. So uh… Okay. Hit me." She ordered, crouching a little and making motions with her hands, as if beckoning him closer.

"Pardon?"

Inuyasha huffed, " You know. Throw some emotions at me. Or thoughts or something. And I'll try to block em."

"Ah. All right." Sesshomaru leaned against the porch door and thought for a moment.

Suddenly, Inuyasha felt anger lacing through her, bleeding out from the crest mark on the back of her neck. She closed her eyes, her hands balling into fists as she concentrated.

He felt her blocking and pushed, just a little harder. She stumbled and gripped the railing, barking out, "Hey! Hey, now, that's not fair! That was waaay to much…" and Sesshomaru just sighed.

"Inuyasha, you have done far worse to me multiple times. I struggle to block you out, and I've been practicing this with Diaozuan for **_years_**. Your emotions are extremely powerful. This is negligible."

She blinked in surprise.

"A… you're serious."

He nodded, and she looked rather guilty, and nervous at the same time. How much of her emotions had he been feeling, exactly?

" I'm … I didn't know." He waved a hand dismissively.

"Let us continue."

She got better, slowly. By the time the sun was setting she had stifled his emotions well, though she seemed unable to block any of his thoughts. That was hardly surprising considering their bond, so he didn't press the issue too much.

And when it was Sesshomaru's turn, he was displeased to discover that sealing their bond had made things harder, if that was even possible. Perhaps because they hadn't 'officially' sealed it, his yokai was teasing him on purpose to finish the act. Not entirely impossible, given its previous track record.

Inuyasha couldn't tell though, so at least he was granted that one mercy.

The Daiyokai got suddenly quiet. His bangs over his eyes and one clawed hand gripping the porch door, trembling slightly.

"Sesshomaru?"

The hanyou walked over to the other very quietly, crouching in front of him in order to catch his eyes. There was nothing for some time. But suddenly, Sesshomaru's mouth opened in one corner.

And Inuyasha saw the way his fangs were longer: much longer. The tips of the canines overlapping the bottom gums. The slight jaggedness to those normally perfect marks on his cheeks.

"Oh **_shi_** -" She jumped backwards, but her collar was snagged by a clawed hand. In one smooth movement Sesshomaru slammed the hanyou down onto her back and was atop her, both hands trapped in one of his arms. His iris's a glorious sapphire and his sclera blood red.

In a panic, she tried to jerk out of his grip- this only caused him to shift his weight slightly, to press down harder in all the right areas. Inuyasha yelped in pain, panting, heart racing. Oh fuck- he was sniffing her, sniffing a line up her neck like a damn dog- why?

Had she done something wrong? Fuck, his yokai was terrifying. So much so, that she was going to stay limp rather than try to fight him. At least until Sesshomaru was back at the wheel.

" **_Cruel little thing, aren't you?"_** A voice that was Sesshomaru and yet… not, emerged. Those terrifying eyes meeting his own with a glance of- what was it? Anger? Irritation?

Sesshomaru's yokai rarely spoke- it was an instinctual, occasionally violent thing, stunted from years of being suppressed by the Great Lord of the West.

And Inuyasha could not have been more confused by his words. "Cruel? I'm not-"

" ** _Placing your mark on us, giving us those lovely dreams, yet suppressing our yokai mate when we need her the most. Cruel hanyou. Let me speak with her- not you. Let her free, and free yourself. Indecisive tease_**." Sesshomaru's yokai whispered, nuzzling a line up that tan neck, one clawed hand pressing down on the crescent moon on Inuyasha's neck.

For a moment, Inuyasha's eye colors flickered red and blue before she shoved her instincts down and snarled, "No. No! **Sesshomaru**!" calling out desperately for the Daiyokai she knew how to deal with. The Daiyokai she knew, not this… whatever this man was. She kicked at him, and was even more terrified when he dropped down atop her, pinning her with his body as well.

 _He's so heavy! So strong! God damn it!_

He sat up on his elbows, and his teeth went to her ear, his hot breath fanning in the delicate fur as he snarled, " **_You are mine, hanyou. And you will give me the gift only that females can give. I –"_** He seemed to tense, suddenly. And then, Sesshomaru was back. His golden eyes blinking in confusion, then concern when he saw Inuyasha's face and her trembling underneath him.

Hesitantly, he set a hand on her cheek. She pressed it to her face in self-comfort.

"What happened. What did he say." The Daiyokai murmured, concerned for his mate. This was the first time she'd actually talked to his yokai… Actually, it was the first time his yokai had talked to anyone besides himself in many years.

Inuyasha's face reddened. Half of what the yokai had said she didn't much care to repeat.

 _And what the hell did he mean by 'placing your mark'?_ Inuyasha thought with a huff. "He's just mad because I've been repressing my yokai. But it's a damn good thing I do, because she's been acting like such a slu-" Inuyasha paused. " She's been acting strange."

 _And how._

Sesshomaru thought sarcastically. He sat up and offered Inuyasha a hand. She took it, and sat cross-legged next to the Daiyokai. Still slightly shaken.

"You're yokai's not… very friendly."

She detected a hint of amusement on Sesshomaru's end. " And you expected him to be? This is me we're talking about, Inuyasha."

 _Indecisive tease. Cruel hanyou._

 _Give us the gift that only females can give._

Inuyasha shuddered with mixed emotions and Sesshomaru murmured, "What else did he say?"

"Oh you know. Just stuff about 'giving us the gift only females can give' or something. Nothing important." She did her best to appear like she wasn't affected at all. Needless to say, the Daiyokai didn't fall for her farce.

" I am sorry he said those things to you, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru murmured.

However. He couldn't reassure her that it would never happen, either.

So instead leaned over, slipping an arm around her waist and tucking his head to the back of her neck wordlessly. She kept very still for some time before finally accepting the affection, and leaning into him. Still trembling just slightly.

And he held her until the shaking stopped.

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For the next week, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha kept a close eye on the larger droves leaving the Palace. There to make sure that the women and children of the Palace made it safely to the borders of the pig and sheep tribes. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha did not bother to hide their presence: indeed, the citizens seemed grateful.

Once, when Sesshomaru was resting in one of the taller trees, a snake yokai child waved at him. Well… more like a nest- once one noticed, the other eleven waved as well. Snakes were known to be prolific. It was a shame they'd lost the lottery rotation in their lands… their Daiyokai had been wiped out in one clean sweep.

"Hey, look, it's Lord Sesshomaru!"

He was quickly shushed by his mother, who shot the Daiyokai an apologetic glance. They were cute little things- corn snakes it looked like. Their scales were many different shades of orange, cinnamon, and the occasional red.

Sesshomaru blinked in surprise and after a moment, hesitantly waved a clawed hand.

The snake children high-fived and squealed with excitement before the line moved on, and Sesshomaru's tail wrapped around the branch he was sitting on in mild amusement.

Luckily, there seemed to be no attempts to impede their travels. And it made Sesshomaru even more certain that the dragon was disinterested in the average citizens… no. He cared only for the destruction of the Foo-Dogs themselves.

Well.

If it was a fight he wanted, Sesshomaru would certainly deliver.

For most of the morning, Sesshomaru parted from Inuyasha's side to go check on the other citizens heading in the opposite direction. Inuyasha's scent was well-covered by all the other demons so she'd be all right during that time.

As he'd thought, they seemed to be having no trouble either. During mid-afternoon Sesshomaru tracked her up to one of the outcroppings of a low mountain that one of the territories skirted. She was sitting on a lip, leaning over and keeping an eye out for danger.

Sesshomaru skirted up the side deftly and landed a few feet from her. He chucked a small item in her direction.

She caught it without looking, and gave the line of people one last glance before brining the object to her nose and sniffing a few times.

Looking over at Sesshomaru in surprise before opening the waxy cloth. A few slices of bread, some cheese, and two sweet buns.

" You require more food than I do."

"Aww, you packed me a lunch. Getting soft, aren't we?" Inuyasha teased, giving the Daiyokai a grin before slicing off a thin strip of cheese with a claw.

"Silence." Sesshomaru snarled, and Inuyasha saw his tail bristle slightly. "It was the pup's idea. And they originally only packed you about thirty sweet rolls. I had to modify it."

"Sure, sure." Inuyasha waved a hand dismissively and kicked her clawed feet over the lip of the rock outcropping. Letting them dangle in the midafternoon breeze.

"They do not require our assistance after today. The dragons would have come after them by now, if they meant to harm them. They are only after us." Sesshomaru murmured and the hanyou gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah… yeah, I know."

They both leaned back against the rock face. The sun was warm, and the rocky outcropping offered a nice view towards the tribe's territory. Though dotted by a few small yokai villages, there was a view of a larger town, full of black-and white buildings with curved gutters and cobbled roads. Off in the distance, a golden river snaked down from the blue mountains, slithering down the center of the valley in a glimmering golden band.

Inuyasha looked out at the view and her heart softened slightly. The calm before the storm. The view was beautiful and peaceful and serene. Her ears pricked forward and then back, letting the fur be gently smoothed by the warm wind.

"You're keeping something from me again." The hanyou muttered, giving a low glance at the Daiyokai. Sesshomaru blinked in surprise. Her intuition was a little more finely tuned in this female form… and that made him a tad uncomfortable. His body wriggled slightly in discomfort, and he wrapped his arms around the back of his neck, leaning back into the rock behind him and stretching his arms over his head slightly.

 _He's doing that thing with his neck again._ The hanyou thought, her eyes narrowing.

 _He never used to do that when he was nervous._

"Yes. For you are going to overreact and we do not have time for that right now." Sesshomaru murmured and closed his eyes once more.

"So like… how much of an overreaction are you thinking here." Inuyasha huffed, poking his long ear with a single claw. Sesshomaru lifted a lip, his tail swatting away Inuyasha's hand. " Am I gonna cry? Or am I gonna be mad?"

"Seething. You may cry, a little. You seem more prone to that in this form than your male form."

"I do **_not_**!" She barked, and he gave a slight huff of amusement. But even so, that voice- the voice of Sesshomaru's yokai played in her head. _He couldn't have meant that I 'mark' marked him. Like the mark he placed on me. Besides, where the hell would it even be? It couldn't be on his chest- that was already full._

 _Maybe when the mark is placed, it shows up in a similar location on the other's body?_

 _Sesshomaru's crest mark is on Diaozuan's upper chest. And Diao's mark is on Sesshomaru's chest._

 _So… if I did, it's probably on or near the back of his neck._

Her ears slicked back, trembling slightly. A part of her desperately wanted to know the truth, but the other part wanted to remain in ignorance. These past few weeks had been too much of an emotional rollercoaster for them both. In some ways, Sesshomaru was right- if it was true, she would probably flip out.

Mostly because there would be no way he'd be able to explain away the meaning now.

 ** _Married_** _. We would be married by common Daiyokai law._

And everyone- everyone, would know about it.

 _Nah. There's no way. I would've remembered doing something like that. Right?_

But … then again. When she'd woken up after that visit from Totosai, there had been a godawful bitter taste in her throat. And, the metallic tinge of blood that tasted just a bit different than usual. She'd just chalked it up to Totosai's hard training, or maybe a small nosebleed. Her glance wandered over to the dozing Daiyokai.

Carefully, she wrapped up the uneaten bits of lunch to save for later, and put it in her pocket. Then she set a clawed hand on his shoulder to make sure he was awake.

"I told you, Sesshomaru. I can read you like a goddamn book." And before he had a chance to react, she grabbed the hair at the back of his neck, pushing it aside in just the right way.

Just enough to expose something dark and twisting on the back of his neck. He snarled and twisted away, gripping her hand and yanking it down but the damage was done.

She sat next to him dumbfounded. Too surprised to even be hurt.

"When the hell did I do it? I don't remember anything."

Sesshomaru was quiet for some time before finally muttering, " The night we returned from Totosai's. It was your yokai's decision- I saw her eyes, not yours. " rubbing the back of his neck and trying to smooth down the hair that she had yanked.

" Can I see it?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed suspiciously and Inuyasha raised her arms in the air. " I won't yank it again. Promise. If I wanted to go after you, you'd fucking know."

And after a moment, he nodded. She scrambled over in a kind of fevered daze. Gently moving aside the thick, silky hair that shone like starlight.

Overall it was a handsome mark. Especially on Sesshomaru's fish white skin.

Inuyasha traced it in morbid fascination, and was amused when Sesshomaru broke out in goosebumps. It was a curling black Foo-Dog, howling in victory, its tail forming nearly half of the circle while its head, mane, and upper legs formed the other half. Its eyes were that deep terrible red, and the whole mark had a blue, glittery undertone.

"My old man's mark." Inuyasha said, very softly.

" You should be proud. It is not an act your average hanyou could accomplish." Sesshomaru said, his golden eyes slightly soft and almost thoughtful.

She gently let his hair loose. And like a good curtain, its thickness covered the mark completely.

Sesshomaru watched with mild interest as she started to wind up- her hair bristling, her ears flattening to her head. Her hands balled into fists at her side. Her anger ripping through his mark like wildfire. But… she certainly couldn't pin this one on Sesshomaru no matter how hard she tried. This was her fault.

For once, he'd done absolutely nothing wrong.

She let out a furious growl, ending in an almost catlike spit of anger. His claws gently met a few of her knuckles and his touch was cool and gentle. " Inuyasha. Reign yourself in. No one knows. It's just a slight… addition to what we had before."

And she was shocked to find that somehow his words were calming her. Her hands gently unballing and her ears lifting to their original position. The twisting anger in her gut dissipating and being replaced by his perpetual calmness. The crescent moon on her neck twinging slightly as his emotions filled her.

Before she even knew why she really was calm. Or at least, far calmer than before. Her golden eyes were wide as she searched his, and he met her stare levelly.

He'd been having to deal with her emotions all this time. And now.. she was finally feeling his as well.

" I…. I'm gonna take a walk." She muttered and stood, slipping Tetsaiga into her belt and scampering up the rest of the wall of rock, walking off on the other side.

He watched her go, and then turned back to the line of yokai. It was starting to taper off but Sesshomaru could tell it was going to be another long day. He glanced back at the tip of the low mountain and then sighed.

 _Best leave her be, for a while._

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Inuyasha sat in one of the taller trees, dozing. Ignoring the mark burned into her memory and burned into the skin of Sesshomaru's neck.

Maybe she should've asked how to take it off. But then… she kinda already knew the answer to that didn't she.

It would never come off.

Not unless Sesshomaru died somehow. And even though Inuyasha had tried in the past she couldn't imagine going after him to take his life, not anymore.

And she certainly couldn't take her own either. Not with Ame and Katu and Inukezi to look after. And even if that wasn't the case she knew that there had been a connection between them long before that.

 _Inuyasha._

She sat up, looked around.

That was Kagome's voice.

She sat beside him on the same branch. Her red hakama pants gently touching his own thigh. Hair gently lifting in a black cloud by the breeze. She was warm and alive and beautiful and his heart ached. And yes, his- for now, wherever he was, he was himself again. Proper gender and all.

"Kagome." He grabbed her, pulling her close. He didn't care if it was a dream or a nightmare and he never, never wanted to wake up. She smelled of honeyed rain and her black hair glittered in the sunlight. Her laugh was low and sweet, and he felt her tiny arms on his back.

 _It's all right Inuyasha, calm down._ She was petting his ears back in those smooth, small movements that were so familiar and that he so ached for.

" Kagome. God, I missed you so much. So much has happened- I gotta tell you everyth-" He paused, feeling her finger against his lips.

 _I can't stay long, my dear one._ She gently unwrapped herself, and took his clawed hands in her own. His ears perked, his eyes pricking, dangerously close to watering.

"I know what you're gonna say. And I'm trying really hard, you know? But that goddamned Sesshomaru…" He trailed off when he saw the look on her face. Her hand reached up, gently pressing against his cheek. Against that dark blue stripe, the stripe of the Foo-Dog blood in his veins.

 _Inuyasha. Why do you think I made you promise that Ame was taken care of by Sesshomaru? It could've been any other Daiyokai female._

"I-" He paused, perturbed. To be honest, he'd never really understood it. He'd assumed it was because Kagome knew Sesshomaru was one of the few Daiyokai who could protect their daughter from the demons that were constantly after her. But since it'd been her last wish he hadn't thought about it too deeply.

"Because you trusted him?"

She smiled just a little, soft brown eyes glowing in the sunlight. _Yes. But… I knew he could take care of you, Inuyasha._ She paused to tuck some hair behind her ear and his heart twanged once more.

 _And I mean that in more ways than one._ She let out a big sigh before bringing her hands back to his. Lacing them and being gentle of his claws.

Inuyasha nearly fell from the tree.

"You- you what?"

Her eyes met his. _Inuyasha- I love you. I love you enough to want you to go be happy with someone else. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life moping over me. Visiting my grave, and imagining what could have been. Because we both know that even if I hadn't died giving birth to Ame, you would have had to bury me either way. I'm only a human._

 _But Sesshomaru- he could be there beside you forever Inuyasha. I can't compete with him in that regard._ She said, rolling her eyes and flicking her hair. _At least with Kikyo, it was more of a fair match._

 _Listen, my love._

She leaned close, then, pressing their foreheads together. Their hair hung in two perfect curtains of black and silver and he was teary-eyed. Shocked. Never did he think she'd accept what was going on between him and the Daiyokai. Encourage it, even.

 _Being with someone else is not a betrayal to me, or our love. The only way you could betray that, is to spend the rest of your years not living. Stuck in the past. Sad, and alone._

 _Promise me. Promise me you will not wait for me. That you will live, and love, and find happiness._

He swallowed thickly. " If I promise, you'll leave." And she smiled weakly, giving him a long kiss.

 _I have to leave soon either way. Won't you promise me this, my love?_

He bowed his head, his ears tucked tight against his head and trembling faintly. He grabbed her once more, tucking her head into his chest and muttering fiercely, " I want- I want you back. I want this back. Please. Please."

She comforted him for a little while, but soon, gently pushed him away, holding his hands once more. She couldn't rest until he'd promised. Couldn't be in the afterlife knowing that he was moping or suffering.

 _Inuyasha. I am your past. And I need you to have a future. Even if it's one that makes me a bit jealous._

She teased him, then, flicking his nose. _You promise me, puppy?_

He huffed and rubbed his nose before laying his head on her shoulder. " You kinda… planned this a little, didn't you?" and she nodded, shyly.

 _I could tell that something in him liked you. Otherwise, why would he have let you live after all this time?_

"Oh, okay. Cool. So everybody knows except for me. Great!" Inuyasha fumed, tossing his head a bit and cursing under his breath. She chuckled, ruffling up the hair on his head and giving one of his ears a playful tug.

 _Cheer up and promise me. Or I'll have to resort to violence._

Inuyasha huffed, "Ooh, I'm so scared, ghost Kagome." But when she glared, he wilted just a bit.

"Yeah, okay, fine I promise or whatever. Just stop looking at me like that."

She smiled widely then, in the way that she used to. In the way that Ame smiled now. " She's doing great, you know. Both of them are. And even though she'd got the fancy silver hair and golden eyes… she's starting to look like you, Kagome. She -"

He set a hand gently on top of Kagome's. And she listened with rapt attention.

"She has a great fuckin' life. She has a warm bed and plenty of food to eat, and parents who love her. She's friends with damn near everyone. She has everything I never had and more and I know it could've never happened without him."

Inuyasha stared at his wife in silence for a moment before muttering, " I'll.. I'll never be able to repay him for that."

 _You don't have to._ She whispered back. He blinked, then met her gaze once more.

 _That's what protectors do. Its just an instinct. And if it's recognized and thanked, that is enough. That's what you did for Inukezi and I, all those years. You never resented us._

Inuyasha spluttered, "No, but that was different because I had to protect you guys, I wanted to, and –And-"

 _And you think that he doesn't?_

Inuyasha paused at that. Stumped. He'd never thought about it that way before. He'd always sort of pegged it as more of an obligation on the Daiyokai's part than something he wanted to do. But then again… no one had ever been especially good at making the Lord of the West do something he actually didn't want to do.

"Damn." He whispered, his silver hair lifting in the morning breeze like a silver flag.

 _Be good puppy. I love you._

She placed a kiss in the part of his hair and was gone. Just like that.

Inuyasha jerked awake. Looked around, then down at herself hopefully. Giving an annoyed groan when she saw her tiny girly hands. "Fuck."

It was a few hours later when Inuyasha finally tracked Sesshomaru back. The lines were now just a few stragglers… and most were heading into the hotels close to the edge of the border for the night. The sun was beginning to set, and shades of pink and orange were spreading over the low evening clouds.

"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru greeted without turning around. She went to his side, giving him a little bit of a side glance. Well. He didn't look mad… and it had been nice that he'd let her go off on her own. Sure, she'd had to slice up a few demons, but the scent of so many yokai in the area threw most of the bigger ones off.

She scratched an ear with a clawed hand nervously. "Hey. So, I don't remember if I told you this or not but thanks. For taking care of everyone I mean, especially the pups."

Sesshomaru paused. Then he raised a fine eyebrow and set a hand on Inuyasha's forehead. " Are you feeling well?"

The hanyou swatted it away with an angry growl. "Ya know what? If you're gonna be this damn ungrateful then –" but was stopped.

Stopped by a pair of lips. Surprisingly soft and warm and wonderful. Sesshomaru pulled away all too soon and Inuyasha was left in a cozy daze. There was amusement in his gaze as he straightened back up. And once again, she was reminded how much shorter she was in this form. Her eyes were about level with the middle of his chest when he was at his full height. His tail stretched out on the ground by his side and his silver hair absorbed the shades of the sunset, looking faintly golden.

His height pissed her off. Mostly because it did stuff to her heart… and also to stuff below her waist.

 _He smells so nice._

 _When did that start happening?_

"That seems to be a fairly effective method of getting you quiet." Sesshomaru noted, before turning around once more and heading back in the general direction of the Palace.

"H-hey! You don't get to just walk off after doing that!" She growled and grabbed for his tail, but he lifted it out of her range. Then he took off at full speed, forcing her to chase her if she wanted to keep up. She did so- then, skidded to a halt. He'd gone around a tree in front of her, and… and simply disappeared.

Inuyasha walked around the base of the tree in confusion, sniffing, her hands on the bark and her nose twitching. Where the heck had he gone? She smelled him all around the base.

"I am the Lord of the West. I can do as I please, little hanyou."

She yelped in surprise and fell into her butt as he announced himself with his voice. He was walking down the bark of the tree as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His body was parallel to the ground- only his hair and tail seemed to still be obeying the laws of gravity.

"That's not fair!" She growled, sitting up a bit… only to lay back down again nervously as he got a little too close and smirked just a bit. Strands of his silver hair gently caressed her cheeks and neck.

"The only way to stop me is to catch me, Inuyasha."

 _I'm playing with her. I'm courting her._ A voice in the back of Sesshomaru's mind murmured in morbid fascination. Yet somehow he couldn't bring himself to stop, not yet.

And then, he was gone again in a flash of light. She was on her feet in an instant, running at full speed. A flash of bright red in the green and golden forest.

"Get back here!"

Sesshomaru's hand appeared behind a tree, giving a lazy wave. "Over here hanyou. Try to keep up."

To his surprise and pleasure she got better at the game and fast. Stopped tripping over so many branches. Starting using all of her senses, rather than just her nose. Tracked him even when he went through water or used his super-speed, which left hardly any scent train for her.

He waited by the stream, one ear giving a twitch. He could hear her, all right. She was coming this way and fast.

His body tensed and he got ready to bolt again. But strangely, he heard her noise dissipate almost completely. Sesshomaru glanced around the trees in surprise. Had she lost him? Had she stopped for some reason?

Everything was just a little too quiet. It made his fur stand on end.

"Gotcha!"

All of the sudden, he was tackled from above. Inuyasha using the tree she'd been hiding in to launch herself at the Daiyokai with as much force as possible, before he got away.

SPLOOSH.

They both fell into the stream thanks to the force of her hit. An angry crane taking off from the spot, while a few panicked fish darted downstream.

Sesshomaru sat up, spluttering in surprise. He was soaked through and it was **_cold_**! But honestly he was more surprised with he fact she'd managed to sneak up on him than the chill of the water.

Inuyasha sat up second, breaking out into a full cackle when she saw a fish stuck in The Lord of the West's mouth.

"Hey look, you've got dinner."

Sesshomaru spat the silver fish out in disgust, wiping his tongue and picking out a scale from his teeth. Inuyasha was laughing so hard she was nearly doubled over, her face very red. And honestly… her laughter was so funny that Sesshomaru couldn't help but laugh himself at the ridiculousness of it all.

"I want you to laugh like this all the time." Inuyasha murmured, her eyes suddenly golden and very soft. Sesshomaru stopped at that, looking over at the hanyou in surprise.

She flushed and changed the subject, "Ah-betcha didn't think I could catch ya, huh?"

Sesshomaru chuckled once more, " I have to admit, I was pretty surprised. " his left brow raising when she grabbed him by the collar.

" What are you-" She kissed him, roughly. Her heart racing a bit at her own boldness. His shoulders relaxed and after a moment, an arm snaked around her waist, pulling her close. Strange. The water wasn't bothering him nearly as much anymore.

Her body was very warm. And he appreciated the way her clothes clung to her. Skintight.

She pulled away then, but not very far. Her legs were tucked underneath her, pressing gently against his inner thighs. Somehow during the fall his legs had spread. Sesshomaru gently pulled her hair foreward, squeezing out the water section by section and then tying it up at the back of her neck in a loose bun.

She let him, her eyes barely open, occasionally meeting his gaze. A slight blush on her cheeks. The feeling of his claws in her hair was… nice. And he didn't yank it like Inukezi.

She wondered how those claws would feel on her skin and her cheeks darkened further. She wondered what it would feel like if they did have sex. What was it like in the body of a female? She couldn't help but be curious. Purely speculative of course. That'd never happen.

Sesshomaru could more or less sense these thoughts. And if she'd been looking a bit closer, she would've noticed a creeping pink blush on his ears and upper cheeks.

" There. Perfect." He murmured when he was finished and let a clawed hand linger on her cheek. They kissed once more very gently. Lovingly. And then leaned their foreheads together, closing their eyes and for once, opening their connection on both sides.

"This is fucking crazy. You know that, right?"

Sesshomaru chuckled once more. " I know. Believe me. I'm sure mother is rolling in her grave." But she didn't feel much fear or apprehension at this moment from him. Mostly she just felt… love and affection for a certain hanyou.

He wanted to tell her.

Needed to tell her about the yokai pairing. About the fact that their mating was inevitable, closer by the day. But he could not find it in himself to ruin this moment between them. Her gaze was like sunlight and it warmed him from the inside out. Her hair, plastered in a beautiful silver helmet. And her little stupid ears, pointed his direction to catch every one of his words.

The water dripping off the edges of her body, her clothing in rainbow orbs.

 _Endlessly flawed and utterly perfect._

He thought, and kissed her one more time before whispering, "We should be getting back, little hanyou." It was getting truly dark now.. the sky a pale, fading blue. Inuyasha groaned, " Uugh. Just when we were getting to the good part." Climbing out of the water and crouching down on all fours.

"Pardon?" Sesshomaru blinked, then flinched slightly when he was aware that he was in danger of being re-wetted.

"Inuyasha, wait-"

Too late. Her shoulders went one way, her hips the other. And Sesshomaru was sprayed in a low shower of cold water.

She paused when she realized what she'd done. " Oh-oh! Sorry!" laughing softly behind one hand. Suddenly a great white caterpillar grabbed her up, and dipped her lightly back in the water.

"Wait- I'm sorry- I repent- Nooooo!"

Sesshomaru set her back on the bank with his tail, utterly soaked. "There. Now we're even."

And together, making sure they were a decent distance from each other, they shook the water from their bodies. And then returned with some haste to the Palace and the waiting pups.

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Please remember to read and review! 😊

No Fan of Kikyo: Welll I hope that sort of answers your question. They'd definitely not be happy sitting around doing nothing, but at the same time Sesshomaru still would definitely never let them out on the battlefield. So they'll have to be content with this for now.


	11. Chapter 11

"My lord Ryuu, we need more time."

The dragon shifted in his seat, his temper flaring just a little. His tail slapped the floor and a glimmer of flame shone from behind his teeth." Every moment we stay here is a moment those damn Foo-Dogs have to train. We already know they've sent most of the citizens out. We'd best strike now, before it is too late."

Yuu nodded, her hands folded anxiously and her own tail lifting, wrapping nervously around her inner leg.

"Yes my lord. But … we need every man we can get. Surely it's worth a little more time if we can strike harder?"

His red eyes flashed, and she flinched when he was suddenly beside her. His claws sharp on her skin as he looked into her eyes.

His mane was lifted slightly, spread around the back of his neck in a ruff.

"You. Are out. Of line." He whispered, tracing a line across her neck. She held perfectly still, letting the claw draw a line of blood from one ear to another, as thin as a needle. Tears pooling in her eyes. She knew her lord well enough to know it was much better to take his punishment than to try and slap his hand away.

" I apologize, my lord." She whispered and closed her eyes, doing everything she could not to let them fall. Feeing their hot wetness on her lashes. Gods, what had she done to deserve this punishment? She wanted nothing more than to be back home in her own village. Playing with her brothers and sisters as her mother braided her long lavender hair.

She had no idea that he'd take such an interest in her when she started working in the Dragon Tribe Palace. If she could travel back in time and undo one decision, that would be it.

Then, she would never have caught his eye, and been forced to be his personal servant.

" I could kill you right now, you know. And it would be **_easy_**." He snarled, his hand resting on one side of her neck. Making sure she could feel all four claws pressed tight to her light skin.

"Forgive me." She whispered, his tail flicking back and forth underneath her in a frenzy of fear. He put a terrible cold anger in her- sometimes, she even wished he was dead. Wished she had the guts to pull a knife on him herself. She didn't used to be that way- she'd been soft, and sweet, and he'd ruined that.

And she hated him for changing her so.

" Luckily for you… you make a compelling argument." He spat, and she felt his hand removed. She stayed perfectly still, very slowly opening her eyes. The line of red on her neck dripped a few lines of blood down to her collar, staining the soft white a pale pink. She must not act relieved- that would only anger him further.

"Tell them they have one full moon cycle. After that, we ride, regardless of how many come. Dismissed." He spat, turning his back to her as he went back to his seat.

 _You're no dragon. You're a coward, and egotistical fool. And I pray every day that Sesshomaru and the other Foo-Dogs will give you exactly what you deserve._

She thought, her eyes shining with tears as she made her way out if his tent and back among the ranks of soldiers and servants to relay the information. How sad, that she felt safer among the ruffian cat and dragon soldiers than she did with her own master.

She looked up into the cold night. The stars shone in a thousand beautiful lights overhead, the milky way a strip of light blue. She straightened and wiped her face, trying to appear respectable before looking up at the moon.

The sign of the Foo-Dog house.

She closed her eyes, feeling the coolness of the moonlight on her skin. What a wonderful sight he must be- the Lord of the West, the Foo-Dog with the crescent on his forehead. They said his hair was like moonlight and that his eyes held the fire of a thousand suns. That he was cold and calculating- furiously protective of his mate and pups. They said that he'd brought a crowd of a thousand to their feet with a single word. And that a single glance from him wilted the courage in any Daiyokai's heart.

 _Yet, I'd take him as my master over my current charge any day. Please… give the Foo-Dog clan the strength they need to defeat us. I care not if I survive but… I cannot live like this anymore. With him._

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"So how are we gonna hash this out?" Inuyasha murmured, crossing her arms.

Sesshomaru pointed down at the training area.

"It's fairly simple. The citizens will be training against each other, and the guards. The guards will be training against you, I , and the pups."

Inuyasha's ears perked up a bit nervously at that. " Uh.. Is that okay? I mean, they're still little." And Sesshomaru snorted.

"I'll make sure they're in a group. And the guards will only have training swords. They'll hardly be in danger." Sesshomaru assured, reaching over and giving the hanyou's ears a low stroke with one hand. The hanyou growled lightly and the fur on his ears puffed.

Yet later on, he had to admit that the pups seemed to be holding their own against the guards. She and Sesshomaru didn't use their swords of course- only hand-to-hand combat.

The goal was not of course, to be able to actually defeat Sesshomaru or Inuyasha- the goal was to simply be a challenge for them.

Inuyasha flipped the guard over onto his back and pinned him with her legs, making sure his arms were up behind his back before he had a chance to retaliate. The Foo-Dog growled, his black tail poofing out in anger and writhing on the sandy floor as Inuyasha leaned close and whispered, " Pinned ya." With a chuckle.

To his right, Sesshomaru slammed his opponent down into the sand as well. The spray of sand showering on Inuyasha and making her shake her head and shoulders, looking over with a huff of irritation.

She noted that Sesshomaru had stripped down quite a few layers- down to a single one on the top, thought of course he still had his fancy pants, boots, and silky belts on. Then again- it was hot in the training house- there were many yokai crammed in, and the sun was high in the sky- so it shouldn't have surprised her.

He flipped his hair back in one smooth, Ariel-style motion of his neck, the silver waterfall spreading for just a moment in the air before settling in its usual swath down the back of his neck. For a moment time seemed to stand still- a mix of sand and sweat floating in the air like frozen glitter around his face as his eyes slowly opened.

They were more amber this morning than usual- and as their eyes met, Inuyasha's throat went suddenly dry. His wet shirt clung in all the right places, showing of the curve of his pectorals and the rippling muscles on his stomach.

 _Oh no- he's **hot**._ She thought, then snarled, ears twitching.

Another guard was trying to sneak up on her from behind. She flattened out on top of the Foo-Dog, then sprang up, kicking the other guard square in the cheek with her foot and sending him flying.

Sesshomaru watched this second-long exchange with some interest. Her eyes were narrowed with anger, her hair a sweaty froth of silver light as she moved. The golden of her eyes like poisonous nectar- those jagged blue markings on her cheeks fierce and feral.

Framed in those fire-rat robes of blood, it was no wonder she'd caught the eyes of those human females.

 _She is resplendent._

He thought, his cheeks and ears blooming with a pink tinge. The guard underneath him writhed and he stood, snapping himself out of the daze and trying to get the hanyou off of his mind.

But that proved easier to think about, than to do.

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It was an unusually cold night for that late in the year.

The moon was high and glittery silver, and a low mist hung around the ankles. Inuyasha's window was open. And yet despite the cold breeze she wasn't sleeping well. Her yokai was wide awake and plaguing her with feverish, wanting dreams again.

Dreams of Sesshomaru.

She awoke with a start, panting and sweating. Snarling, she pushed the window open farther with her foot and curled up. Head resting on her knees and mercury-colored ears trembling and flat to her skull. She did try to put up that barrier Sesshomaru had talked about but… these dreams left her so frazzled that she could hardly think straight, much less have the mental capacity for a barrier.

Inuyasha was swearing lowly under her breath. Her hands tucked over the tip of her head as if protecting her from some unseen enemy. But that was the truth wasn't it? Only, this enemy was crawling under his skin and screaming for her mate.

She heard the small paper hiss of her door opening, and the snap of it closing shut.

She looked up and startled when she recognized the outline.

"I'm sorry! I- I'm sorry. I try to stop it, to stop her, but she's so damn…" Inuyasha's voice trailed off when he crouched near her, settling a few feet from her. His weight created a slight dip in the bed, and the moonlight turned his robes and tail a beautiful silver. It spread out behind him and toppled off the edge of the bed like a shimmering waterfall. She glanced away; couldn't bear to meet his eyes just now.

Now when she was slick between the legs and drenched with sweat and disgusting.

"Stop apologizing." His voice was smooth and low as always, and she hated the immediate effect it brought as goosebumps broke out on her skin. It seemed even lower than normal, if that was possible.

She wrapped her arms around herself and pulled her legs up tighter, dropping her head back onto her knees. " I hate this."

She felt the weight of his arm. And the slight curve of his chin on her forearm. His breath heavy and sweet against her cheek and ear as he murmured, " Inuyasha. It is inevitable. I'm sure you have realized that by now. And my yokai isn't exactly known for his patience."

She lifted her head then, looking at him in a mix of surprise and horror.

 _They will make the decision for us, Inuyasha._

"I can't… I…" She shook her head, closing her eyes tight to press back tears. No, no. This was too soon. She was just a damn hanyou. Inuyasha had given so much to Kagome and Kikyo that there really wasn't all that much left. If Sesshomaru betrayed her, mocked her, hurt her… there wouldn't be anything left.

Just a shell.

 _Look at me._

She looked up, hiccupping once miserably. And her breath caught in her throat, her mouth becoming dry.

His eyes were glorious. Like beaten, twisting gold- each little river of it coming out from the center of that black pupil. Near the blackness they were a deeper shade, but near the edges they became softer. Like sunlight. And the expression they held was something that Inuyasha would never forget.

 _Let me be what you deserve, Inuyasha. Let me ease your suffering. I cannot bear it._

She trembled on the urge of the decision. Gods it was terrible. If she rejected him now surely their yokai would take her by force. And that would be severely painful, she knew it. But at the same time… the alternative was just as terrifying. For some reason that particular act put a fear in her. Perhaps because she knew they'd never be the same after that.

 _By morning light, you will be safe and sound. I promise you._

Her legs gently uncurled and she straightened up in bed, leaning into his chest. Ears folded under his chin as she took a deep shakey breath. "There's not a lot of me left to give Sesshomaru." She left him lifting her chin then with a single finger.

"You are enough for me. Just as you are." And to his surprise it was her who started the kiss first.

It was a shakey thing at first- barely the brushing of lips. But he was patient and gentle and soon, she started getting comfortable. His taste was familiar by now, as was his touch.

 _I'm scared as hell but… I don't want to stop this._

He was a terrifying Daiyokai who tried to kill her before… yes. Cold and aloof and strange. But this other side of him was warm and alive. And she knew how men worked.

 _I'm placing trust in you so please… please don't hurt me._

Her head tilted slightly to the side, lips parting a bit wider. Sneaking in some fang and tongue here and there, sucking on his lower lip and letting it snap back into place. Her hands slipping up under the layers of his clothes. Tracing those dark stripes on his ribs with amazement. They came in twos on his body, just like on his cheeks. And were stunning. She felt a rush of satisfaction when he jolted at the feeling of her claws.

"Scared?" She smirked, pressing her claws against his chest. He snorted, eyes narrowing playfully. His arms sneaking around her and pulling her closer to him. Inuyasha's thick thighs wrapped comfortably and lazily around his torso as they had so many times before in her dreams.

"You wish. Your hands are frigid."

"Sure."

He pushed her down playfully into the sheets( one arm of course, cushioning her head), and she squeaked in surprise.

"Be careful damn it! I'm a fuckin' delicate flower!" She whispered heatedly, but was soon shut up by a pair of lips crashing against her own. He nuzzled down the line of her neck, placing sharp nips here and there. And she stifled a gasp at the feeling of the wounds closing, helped along by a lick from his wet tongue.

He then went to the mark on her neck, one canine so gently brushing the blue mark on her skin. And suddenly, both of their eyes bloomed with that festering red and blue.

And neither of them knew more, for some time, as their yokai's fought. Sesshomaru- for the right to have her as a mate. Inuyasha- for the knowledge that her mate was every bit as strong as she thought he was.

And from then on, it was only pleasant flashes as they both switched from their yokai, to themselves and back again.

/

She remembered the feeling of him first entering her- that strange type of stretching pain. Luckily for them both she was easy to tease into a frenzy, so she was quite slick for him in no time at all.

His yokai was mercifully tender in that regard, to her shock and relief. Just a little at a time. Those demon eyes watching her reaction, feeling her breath, carefully. Only getting greedy at the end- snapping up into her impatiently and earning a soft cry of pain that about halfway through, turned into an entirely different sound.

His mouth was wet around one of her nipples, teasing the skin with tongue and teeth until it was so taunt it ached. The tingling fear and pleasure that laced through her whenever his fangs scraped around her skin, teasing. Leaving pink marks damn near everywhere she could see.

/

He remembered the first time she orgasmed underneath him.

It had been very sudden, and very powerful, just like her emotions. So much so he'd had to bite down on her neck hard and twist up her silver hair around his fist. His hand shaking as he fought down his own end.

Her flesh was hot around him, squeezing him in that strange female way that was both pressure, and rippling, trying to tease him into his end. His periphery vision shuddered for a second and his heart beat impossibly fast as he edged himself away.

But he was not about to be outdone by his yokai. Sesshomaru had every right to enjoy this as much as his demon half, and he wouldn't let this end so easily.

He gently removed his fangs and licked the wounds a few times, earning a soft wanton sound from the hanyou before their gazes met. She was both herself, and not- her eyes were a pretty blue, but the sclera was normal. Half demon in every sense of the word. And she gave a low surprised sound, nuzzling up his neck and jawline as if to ask why he hadn't let himself go.

He chuckled softly and nuzzled back, whispering, "It's because I'm not done with you yet, hanyou."

He very much enjoyed the look of surprise and pleasure on her face as he yanked her farther underneath him. Folding his legs but keeping their hips connected, and tossing her legs over his shoulders as if they were nothing at all.

/

Her yokai made her forget the times his yokai was awake, but she was pretty sure he mercilessly fucked her.

After all, she had bedsheet prints on her left cheek, his claw marks deep in her hips… and remembered being pushed face sideways into the sheets while her rear was yanked high into the air. That friction between them to the point where her own legs could barely support her weight.

But she remembered the end. And really, that was the most important part.

She was panting in his ear- her fangs longer than normal, and a string of saliva glittering from her upper to her lower canine.

Her arms were around his shoulders, her chin tucked against his neck. Her claws gently hooked in his silver skin. She could see long, terrible marks all the way down his back and wondered vaguely if she'd been the one to place them. But there were more important things to think about.

Like for example, the way he felt inside her. That terrible friction that tossed stars into her vision and curled her toes.

Initially she'd thought it'd be just awful. But feeling his heartbeat inside her, the way his muscles rippled along his body as he moved… The way her body moved with his, so small, a little vessel for the power just under that porcelain skin… She tucked her head into his neck for a moment. Hiding.

 _If only I'd been born as a part of you. Just like this._

She felt that familiar building in her gut again. Another one. She felt like she might pass out. But she wasn't about to let him have that kind of satisfaction.

"Sesshomaru-." She whispered in quiet warning to that pointed ear- and licked her lips. Damn. How long had they been at it? Her mouth was dry and her body ached- so sensitive that her skin seemed to scream everywhere she was touched. And the shadows on his body that had been silver were now a very pale pink as the sun began to rise. Her black eyebrow such a contrast to the sea of silver hair that they both shared- hers, in a long wave and his, somehow now in a messy bun at the base of his neck. Glittering like it was wet.

She felt warm breath on her collarbone as he gave a huff of acknowledgement. Then yelped softly as he moved, shifting her a bit so she was back underneath him once more. Her hand went instinctively up into his hair, her claws almost forming a crown as they poked through silver locks.

Her ears went out to either side uncertainly- but that was taken away when his hands cupped her face. Lethal claws so close to her cheeks and so incredibly tender she could have cried. He took her lips in his own; both rather chapped and red now. Overly-sensitive.

Hair that had escaped his bun tickled her neck and collarbone gently. Strands of starlight and mercury.

And their little game ended in a rush of clenched muscles and fluid: somehow, all at the same time.

Inuyasha was absolutely floored at the sensation. No wonder Kagome had been so thrilled when they'd finally started trying for pups. Was there anything better than that spark of heat? The feeling of it growing, melting its way to every corner of her? Even her hands were trembling.

She buried her face in his neck once more and muttered, "Its hot…" doing her best to catch her breath. There was quite a bit too… her abdomen was full, and a little excess dripped from their connection.

"You'll live." Sesshomaru whispered in amusement, placing a kiss on her jawline and then her neck in reassurance.

 _Damn. He really does mean to breed her._

Sesshomaru thought with irritation. The yokai hadn't produced that much seed in some time. Gently, he removed himself from her- cracking a wry grin at her little mewl of dissatisfaction. He cleaned them both despite her half-assed protests. She was in a daze and her movements were slow and gentle, easily startled.

With that finished, he drew her to his chest and set the sheets up to her shoulders. She could tell by the way Sesshomaru's skin was reflecting the soft golden and pink that morning had come.

He was surprised when she wriggled close. Curling up her legs and arms and getting as small as she could, pressing herself against him. Her head tucked to his chest and her ears tucked contentedly against her skull. She was more beautiful than she had ever been – her skin glistening with sweat and a pink flush on her cheeks. Golden orbs not narrowed in anger but wide, soft. Gentle.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his tail around her back, and pressed lazy kisses to her. Jawline. Nose. Cheek. Smoothing her bangs back to make sure she had some fresh air.

"Safe and sound Inuyasha. Just like I promised." He whispered in her soft ear. His breath warming the fur.

 _I feel so tiny. So safe. I've haven't felt this, not since I was a pup._ Inuyasha thought in wonder and closed her eyes tight, and she buried her face against his bare skin.

 _God, please don't ever let me go._

Sesshomaru looked down and his expression went soft. Perhaps she hadn't meant for him to hear that part… but he'd heard it nevertheless. She was trembling just slightly.

 _I am here love – until your last sun sets._

She blinked and looked up at him in shock. He'd said it first- love. Her hands gently uncurled from his chest, and instead wrapped around his torso fiercely. Gripping so tight on the sheets it left holes as her hands rested in almost full fists. The warm curve of her claws clear on his back.

And he could feel the strength of her love, ripping through his body like wildfire. Furious and volatile and different than Diaozuan's. But it was strong and wonderful and worth tending.

And someday, it would be as strong as the sun.

 _I love you._ Inuyasha's voice was so small, so sweet.

As if it was a question, and she was waiting for an answer.

 _And I you, wildfire._

His clawed hand began toying slowly with her hair, smoothing it back over one shoulder and then coming to a rest. Cupping that bronzed curve of flesh. Her eyes caught the way the light bounced through those clear claws, turning them into little pink curves of light. How many times had she been on the receiving end of them?

Too many to count. And yet now. Here they were- resting so gently on her shoulder and glittering in the morning light. How was it that every part of him was its own work of art? It was so unfair.

She chanced a glance up at him. Her vision was blurry from tiredness. His hair was a wave of starlight and strawberry lemonade, and his eyes shimmered like the finest flecks of amber. The dark twin stripes on his cheeks bringing out the cruel curves of his cheekbones and the masculine arch of his jaw. On his neck, the occasional stray strand of hair was stuck in a silver river, pooling in a sinful way just behind his collarbones. He was… beefier than she'd expected- somewhere along the way he'd filled out in the chest and bicep area. And his stray hairs accentuated this perfectly. Curling around his biceps and pectorals wickedly.

His skin glittered from sweat- no huge dropets, just a fine layer of fantastic damp.

Inuyasha flushed and buried her face back in his chest, and he laughed softly and pulled her closer.

She could feel that pale morning light against her back, slowly warming her through the sheet. His heartbeat was slow now, calm. The slow rise and fall of his chest was extremely comforting to her and her eyes slowly lidded. Sandwiched between the warmth of the sun and the warmth of Sesshomaru's body, Inuyasha soon fell into a deep sleep.

Sesshomaru soon followed suit, his last thoughts being of relief as he closed his eyes. The act was over and it had gone well.

 _My beautiful hanyou. My mate._

And in the comforting darkness of Inuyasha's body, a pup began.

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The next morning, Inuyasha woke up to a knock on the door.

She was surprised to find Sesshomaru still around her- she'd assumed he'd disappear in the morning, like he usually did. He woke at the sound too and his nostrils twitched once at the scent.

A Foo-Dog was at the door.

Instantly, his eyes switched to red and blue. His arms went tight around her, and his tail folded several times over until Inuyasha was all but invisible in his arms. A low terrible growl ripped from somewhere low in his belly as he glared at the door.

And you didn't need to be a Foo-Dog to understand the message underneath the growl.

 _Mine. Don't you **dare** come near her._

From somewhere in the soft mass of his tail and arms Inuyasha squeaked, " Sesshomaru- its Tiao-Wen. The servant. Calm down!" managing to sneak a hand to his chest.

The Daiyokai blinked a few times and his eyes faded to his usual sharp yellow. He tucked a strand of silver hair behind his ear in embarrassment and cleared his throat. "Yes, Tiao-Wen?" starting to slowly unwrap the tail from Inuyasha's form.

Inuyasha took a breath in relief and rubbed her face with her arm, trying to scrub out the blush that rested there.

Then, stared in shocked wonder.

Sesshomaru was scratched to hell. Big, terrible marks up his chest, and down his back. Hell, he even had four jagged lines on his face, scraping down from eyebrow to lip. They were healing even as she watched, but were still pink and raw.

Tiao-Wen's nervous voice came through the door. " I know you already rescheduled your earlier meetings, I just wanted to let you know that your meeting for this afternoon has been moved to this evening, Lord Sesshomaru." Poor guard. Being greeted by one of Sesshomaru's snarls was a good way to ruin a good set of pants.

Sesshomaru sighed, yanking his hair from the hairtie and then smoothing it back up into a much higher more dignified ponytail. "Thank you, Tiao-Wen. Could you let the house servant know to send Inuyasha's breakfast here?"

"Of course my Lord. Will that be all?"

"For now, thank you." Sesshomaru raised an eye when he saw Inuyasha's gaze. He blinked in surprise when she set her hand in line with those marks. Her heart sank when she saw that her claws lined up with the jagged scars perfectly.

"I did this." She whispered, awed and terrified. She didn't remember seeing these yesterday… but then again, her vision had been blurry from exhaustion. He looped an arm around her shoulders in reassurance.

"Just your yokai. It's very common for yokai to fight right before intercourse. Have to make sure your mate is worthy after all." Sesshomaru said in a low tone, petting her shoulder gently with his claws. " I apologize. I wanted to tell you before all of this but there never seemed to be a right time."

"I can see why. But I'm still really sorry…" She murmured, now tracing the ones on his face. "But… I don't understand. I was with Kikyo and Kagome and I never scratched them like this."

"Your yokai was an insane beast until Gao was created. Only then did she gain a soul. And she didn't bond with the miko, despite you being married."

Inuyasha's brow furrowed a little as she moved some of Sesshomaru's hair back from his forehead.

"How do you know that?"

And he suppressed a kind of dark chuckle. " Inuyasha. If she had, Kagome would be dead. A human miko is no worthy mate for a yokai, hanyou or not. Your yokai would have killed her, or chased her off. If Diaozuan had lost to me when I was female, the result would have been the same."

Inuyasha paused at that. "Are you saying that if you'd lost to me, I would've killed you?" Sesshomaru lifted her hand and kissed the knuckles gently. "Obviously I did not. So do not fret over such things." And to be fair the marks on his face had already almost faded away. However the deeper ones on his chest and back remained, and probably would for some time.

Seeing her confusion he added gently," She was also a bit more aggressive than normal because of the marks. If I'm to be one of her only mates, she wanted to be extra sure of my strength."

Her ears went down in frustration and sadness. " Damn. I still really don't know much about anything, do I?" And her mate leaned over, pressing a kiss to her folded ear. "You're just learning. Don't be discouraged."

All of the sudden, she realized that they were still both very naked. Her face went red as her robes. " Um. Could you hand me my fire rat robes?"

Sesshomaru made a rather nervous face. He wasn't sure if they'd survived the night.

 _Well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look._

"Uh. Um." She stuttered when he slipped out of bed, naked as the day he was born. His long tail sliding behind him in a glittering coil and the stripes on his ribs and hips shining proudly. As he reached up into the wardrobe and pulled out a robe for himself, she saw the way his muscles flexed. Still damp from their earlier activities.

 _Oh, damn. Pin me to the wall with those arms._

 _No, no no. Stop it!_

Inuyasha pinched herself on her thigh to stop that train of thought and looked out the window pointedly, her heart racing. He paused, her emotions lacing down through his mark in waves.

"Oh, I apologize Inuyasha. I didn't mean to be so- **_distracting_**." He purred, dressing himself and pulling the tie on his robe tight. His own clothes had not survived the night- but he didn't mind wearing this for a while until he needed to dress in more layers.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." She huffed, and he handed her her clothes. The inner shirt hadn't survived- but thanks to the toughness of the material, the outer robes had survived even Sesshomaru's claws.

"Mm hmm. Your face is more scarlet than these robes." He hummed, then turned his back to her so she could dress.

Instead, she tackled him in anger. " Your damn hide will be redder than these robes by the time I'm through with you!" However, she realized about when they hit the bed one fatal flaw to this plan- she was sore as hell.

"Ow! What the-?"

"Inuyasha- you shouldn't be moving around like that. Take it easy." Sesshomaru murmured, pulling her close as she bit down a whimper. It really did hurt- her legs, her hips. Other parts she didn't want to mention. She rested in his lap resentfully. Not liking the fact that she liked cuddling with him.

" You're not sore. Why should I be?" She muttered moodily, poking his chest.

" I'm a Daiyokai, little hanyou. Besides, women usually are after mating." He murmured softly in her ear, and she flushed. Angry that she knew he was right. When he nuzzled her neck and jaw, he was surprised at the scent that lingered there.

Something was different.

She looked up when he glanced off, trying to place the scent. It was familiar, that was for sure.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Your scent is different." He said softly, nuzzling the top of her head with the side of his face, deep in thought.

"Well yeah, obviously. I'm all covered in your grossness." She half-teased, and he snorted.

"It's not that." He murmured and his gaze was still thoughtful. It was so familiar! Why couldn't he place it? His mind was all jumbled from taking Inuyasha as a mate, but he knew this smell. It was part of the reason why his yokai had been in such a protective mood this morning.

His yokai knew it, he was sure. He shook his head, giving up for the moment. It wasn't the scent of illness or pain so it must not be that big of a deal.

"Its not.. bad, is it?" She said, almost nervously. And he reassured her by lifting her jaw into another gentle kiss. " Of course not. It's lovely." And this seemed to placate her. They rested quietly in each other's arms for some time. When the food came he was amused as always to see Inuyasha absolutely destroying the plate within seconds. Eggs, bacon, and sausage all meeting their maker down her throat.

Earlier, he'd tried teaching the hanyou manners. He'd found that she did know how to eat properly… it was simply a decision on her part to eat like this. And since it was a choice rather than lack of knowledge, it didn't bother the Daiyokai nearly as much.

Sesshomaru sipped his blood-sake quietly next to her. Watching the devastation.

"Isn't it a little early in the morning for sake?" She said, then swallowed thickly before picking up the bun on her plate. Slicing it quickly with a claw and then eating both halves.

Damn. She was starving!

"Isn't it a little early in the morning for your attitude?" Sesshomaru said smoothly back with his eyes slightly narrowed. They glared at each other.. and then, she saw it: just a glint in those yellow orbs.

He was teasing her. She broke into a gentle laugh and his own expression softened.

"You got me there."

He pressed a kiss to her temple, flicking her ear once playfully with his claws. She swatted the hand away but the smile was clear on her face.

"I thought you'd be gone, you know. When I woke up. You've always got places to be." She murmured, sopping up the juices on the plate with the last bit of biscuit before swallowing that too.

"I rescheduled. I did not want you to wake up alone." Sesshomaru said mildly, offering her some of the sake as well. She declined with a wrinkling of her nose.

She sat and processed that for a moment, stacking the plates gently on the nightstand so that they wouldn't fall off. Then she gently sidled up to him. Resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes for a moment.

 _Thank you._

His expression showed affection and love for the hanyou. Snaking a hand down her side and pulling her closer by the hip.

"This feels like a dream." She muttered, her voice a little muffled by the thick silk of his robe.

"Is it a good dream?" His voice was as silken as his robes, but darker. Deeper. As deep as the warmth he'd left in her body; the warmth that was still there now.

"Yeah." The hanyou whispered after a moment, sounding a little surprised herself. And though she didn't see it, he smiled just a bit. Birds sang outside, the sun warmed her shoulder, and the scent of Sesshomaru clung to every part of her.

And she couldn't remember being this happy in a long time.

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EatEmUp-He did, and I kinda wanted to make sure he had that before this chapter( for obvious reasons lol). And yep, its definitely getting closer by the minute. I'm so happy you're enjoying it! It means a lot to me every time anyone drops me a review, so thank you! I get pretty nervous about what people think and how they're gonna react, to be honest. /p


	12. Chapter 12

For a while, they just sat and… talked. Talked about the past, and a little bit about the future. It was the first time Inuyasha could remember really doing that with him… ever. And in a weird sort of way it soothed her worries about them being together somewhat.

After all, if they could sit next to each other and talk like this rather than fighting, well. Maybe their really was hope for them after all.

They were both chuckling a bit at one of Inuyasha's stories when the hanyou interrupted, " Remember- remember that time you punched me in the face?"

Sesshomaru paused thoughtfully. "Which time?"

This brought on another fit of giggles from her. "Okay, so, see, that's your problem. You really shouldn't have to say that in order to figure out what time I'm talking about."

Sesshomaru huffed a bit and his tail poofed. " You were a lot more annoying back then. You deserved most of them."

"I most certainly did not! Besides, I was talking about the time when we were stuck in the Underworld after getting sucked in by that one dude's attack. I think I had passed out or something and you needed to wake me up. So you just-straight up decked me."

The Daiyokai's eyes brightened. "Ah! Yes, I remember."

Inuyasha made a little motion with her hand, as if to hurry him along. " And?"

He gave her a blank stare. " And what? It woke you up, did it not?" And she sighed with amusement, reaching over and ruffling up his hair in a patronizing manner.

"Heh. Nothing." He growled and swatted away her hand. And the more they talked the more comfortable he seemed to be as well. Initially, he'd been nervous how she would react. And though he could tell she'd indulged far earlier in mating him than she would have preferred, she didn't seem too fazed.

Overall it felt like a strange alternate reality. One where they were mates and very cautiously, friends as well. But at the same time it felt natural. As if this was how it was always going to end.

As if the fates had brought them together for this moment in a sunlit room, their voices lacing; rising and falling together like music.

Later in the afternoon, Sesshomaru offered Inuyasha the moon tea.

She was a little surprised, to say the least. Her little silver ears going about as high as they could as she held the little blue and white cup. Of course she knew how to use it-had used it with Kagome for several years in fact.

It still stank terribly.

At the look on her face, Sesshomaru added quietly, " You don't have to take it if you don't want to. I thought you would appreciate the option."

He was fully dressed now, in a glorious silver and purple-sleeved kimono with a dark black and purple sash. Inuyasha was back in her fire rat robes, though they were still a bit messy from having dressed so quickly.

She was comfortable and snug in Sesshomaru's bed, the light blue covers pulled up to her waist.

"I do appreciate it. I was just a little surprised." She assured him, wondering why the hell she was even hesitating. It was just a precaution. Now wasn't exactly the best time for her to get pregnant-not right before a damn war.

"Ah- I almost forgot." He leaned closer again and she growled just a little, showing him her fang. His face merely showed amusement at her little threat.

 _Thank you for trusting me. It must have been frightening for you._

He very gently nuzzled up against her jawline, his eyes closing for a moment. And she heard a very peculiar sound coming from him: soft and low. Something between a purr and a growl.

"Yeah, well, it's not every day you take someone who tried to kill you to bed, you know." She joked, but found herself nuzzling back with her eyes half-lidded. His smell was comforting to her now. God, how things had changed between them.

And they would never be the same again, would they?

And maybe… maybe that was all right.

 _If I had been in your position, I do not know if I would have had your resolve._

 _You have such courage._

She found a similar sound coming from her own throat. And for a moment of peaceful silence, he scent marked her: rubbing his cheek and jaw gently along her skin and hair and even placing the occasional kiss. It wasn't really necessary after last night's activities, but it was something all Foo-Dog's enjoyed.

Inuyasha nuzzled back when she could and very much enjoyed the attention. Her ears in a backwards resting position and twitching faintly. It was much different than the human affection Kikyo and Kagome had given her.

It appealed to something different in her, some strange instinct she hadn't even been fully aware of until this moment. Her mind softly replayed his words and a pink blush rose on her cheeks. When he finally pulled away her hair was thoroughly mussed and her eyes were wide and golden.

"The heck was that?" She muttered, half embarrassed and half curious. It had been so nice. She hadn't wanted it to end.

"It's a Foo-Dog instinct." He replied simply. Sesshomaru pressed a kiss to her ear, folding it flat to her skull in the process. She growled a bit and swatted at him halfheartedly, "Easy on the ears, damn it. We talked about this." and he chuckled once.

"I have to go. Stay here and rest. I've made sure the pups are taken care of for today; they shouldn't be too rambunctious." He murmured, strapping on his armor with the little leather clips and then tucking his tail over one shoulder.

"How's the scars?" She asked softly, shifting around a bit so she was cross-legged. He gave her a mild shrug.

"Mostly healed- not entirely pleasant against silk, but I have endured worse before." He shot her a slight smirk, a single fang glistening in the evening light.

"So maternal and worried for my health. This form suits you, Inuyasha."

She gasped and choked with outrage.

" I am not! – I-Just get outta here already asshole!" She threw a pillow at him; it caught on the horns of his armor, and a few feathers poofed out. He peeled it off and set it on the desk, giving the hanyou a little wave before shutting the door with a leathery shoe.

Once outside the door, he sighed. He'd have to bathe before going to the meeting.

He didn't want to.

But if he didn't, he might as well wear a sign around his neck that read 'I had sex with Inuyasha', and that would definitely raise some questions he didn't want to answer just now. Sesshomaru flicked his hair behind his shoulders and headed off in the direction of the baths.

Inuyasha meanwhile, looked back down at the drink still in her claws. A part of her didn't want to take it, for some reason. Her ears twitched as she remembered- _I have to take it while its still warm. Otherwise it's useless._

And she didn't want to have to run to Tian for more. The snake doctor was kind enough, but she didn't much like doctors in general.

Yet. Her yokai was squirming under her skin, and the smell of the drink was making her slightly nauseous. She pushed the stupid yokai down. _Stop it. Now's about the worst time for this, and you know it._

She plugged her nose and lifted the cup to her lips. _All right, on three. One, two , three-_

And just as she was about to swallow, her yokai took the reins. She spat the liquid back into the container and wiped her mouth with a red sleeve. The blood-colored hue a perfect compliment to the red in her eyes.

 _Stupid hanyou- can't even sense the life in our belly._

The yokai thought with a roll of her eyes. She slid out of bed carefully, her legs a bit shakey as she pulled open the porch door. It was a lovely evening- the breeze was soft and warm. She poured the rest of the contents of the drink out onto the bushes beyond the railings, her nose wrinkling in distaste.

Had their pairing resulted in nothing( which sometimes happened), she wouldn't have minded drinking the potion. But she could sense _something_ there, deep inside. And though she knew it wasn't the most convenient time, she would have failed her promise to her mate if she had allowed the hanyou to get rid of it.

She leaned on the railing heavily and wiped the lip of the little mug with her sleeve. Then, startled and growled when the porch door a few rooms down from them opened.

Inukezi jumped as well. Inuyasha hardly ever snarled at him- only when he was being truly bad or putting himself in danger.

"Inuyasha?"

Her ears twitched. This was the male-pup that the human and hanyou had birthed. Poor thing- only a quarter demon. What kind of life would he lead, attracting low level demons wherever he went, without the yokai strength to defend himself?

"She's not home right now. I can take a message, if you need." The yokai said moodily, tense in the shoulders.

His heart was beating fast. She was utterly terrifying, and looked at him with a combination of irritation and pity that he'd never received before. And he had the innate feeling at if it were not for Inuyasha's attachment to him, the yokai would have killed him right then and there- just for existing.

"Are you hurt?" Inukezi asked. From the way she was leaning on the railing it looked like she was.

'I am fine. Leave me be." She snarled, her hair beginning to bristle along with the fur on her ears.

Ah. Now that was a little more like Inuyasha. Pretending to be fine when she really wasn't. "Look. How about this. I walk you back to bed, and then I'll leave. Okay? Then, we both get what we want. I'll know you're okay, and you know I'll leave you alone."

She considered this for a moment. Ears twitching before she finally consented with a nod. He walked her back in silence, a little scared to meet those blood and ice eyes. She on the other hand, was curious of the parts of him that were demon and noted them quietly. Fangs. Claws. A glimmer of golden in green eyes.

Such a shame. But no matter- Inuyasha had also produced Katsu and Ame; two beautiful Daiyokai in the preferred color for their house. Sesshomaru's line, and Inu No Taisho's, was assured.

That being said, she had an innate sense that after the six moon cycles were over, Inuyasha would remain male forever. This could be the last time she'd have a chance to give her mate such a gift.

And she was going to take it.

"Do you have a name?" Inukezi asked as she slipped back into bed, her ears still mostly back. The scent of a human… he stank of human. She didn't like his smell on her arm: it covered up Sesshomaru's smell.

"Inuyasha and I are one and the same. There is no need for names for yokai." She murmured, almost thoughtfully. Dipping her head and grooming the part of the fire robe that he'd touched meticulously. He watched with a kind of morbid fascination. Why didn't she like his smell? He was tempted to ask, but he'd promised to leave her alone.

"Well… nice to meet you I guess. I'll head off now. See you." He murmured, and took his leave of her, shutting the porch door gently. She barely acknowledged him leaving, instead messing with the position of the cup so it was exactly where it had been before.

When Inuyasha blinked herself awake, she was surprised to see the cup completely empty. It's horrid taste was in her mouth though.

 _So I… guess I drank it? But then, why did my yokai get to the surface?_

Something about the scene didn't ring right. Why would her yokai wake up just to drink the potion and then go right back under? It didn't make any sense. She set the cup on the nightstand carefully and then gritted her teeth.

 _Damn it._

 _Come on Inuyasha… be a man!_

She walked carefully to the door and peeked out, relieved when she saw one of the house servants- a cat-demon. His fur was a strange dark grey, and his eyes were bright blue. He was busy pinning the laundry out on the line, one bit at a time. Inuyasha felt guilty as always- but all the times she'd tried to help the servants had politely, but firmly, sent her off. It felt weird to have someone else doing all your work, but that was life in the Palace for you.

"Psst. Hey!" Inuyasha called, leaning out into the hallway a bit. The cat-yokai startled just a bit, his tail turning into a pom-pom before he met eyes with Inuyasha and settled a bit.

"Oh. Lady Inuyasha. Is there something I can do for you?" He asked, setting aside the small stack and walking down the little shining hallway so that Inuyasha didn't have to shout.

"Yeah. Hey, you're Wumei's replacement right?" Inuyasha asked, her ears twitching a bit. The cat gave a slight chuckle. He wore white hakama pants and a red haori shirt- traditional garb for a servant of the house.

" Yes. I am Touma. She is my wife, and I wanted her to head out with the others. We've got a litter at home, and though they're old enough to look after themselves, we both felt it was best that I replace her for the time being."

"A litter? How many?"

"Eight. They're a bit of a handful, but we love them all." He said, and Inuyasha saw a slight tinge of pink on the yokai's face.

 _Oh thank God. At least someone in this damn Palace has more kids than Sesshomaru and I._

She thought sarcastically before saying softly, " Cute. Um… could you get Tian down here when you have the chance? Or Yuu? I have some questions for him and-" She paused. Hm. How to explain that she couldn't exactly drag herself down there at the moment.

Luckily, he didn't have to explain, as the cat gave a polite bow.

"Of course my Lady. I'd be happy to."

She watched him go, then gave another glace down the hallway before retreating back to safety. It was suspiciously quiet- the pups must have stayed late for a lesson, or perhaps Sesshomaru had let them stay in the training arena.

Yuki knocked before entering, and Inuyasha sat on the bed as she always did. Legs criss-cross, and arms folded. At least the soreness was finally going away.

The snake demon noted the smell. He was surprised when Sesshomaru had asked for the moon-tea earlier that morning and now he knew why.

"Good afternoon, my lady. How may I help you?" He asked.

It was a bit hard to believe that he'd taken the hanyou as a mate. She was… so hotheaded and brash. And so very different from Lord Sesshomaru. Maybe it was the 'opposites attract' sort of thing. But his nose certainly wasn't lying to him- and though Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had done a decent job cleaning the room, the evidence lingered in the air, and on her skin.

"You talked with Sesshomaru this morning right? To make some moon tea. Um… I think my yokai interfered when I dried to drink it." Inuyasha said after a moment, her clawed hands kneading the bedspread with pent-up-nervousness. "Could you make me another one? And… could you stay here and make sure I actually drink it? Getting pregnant right before the Palace is about to be attacked doesn't seem like the best idea."

 _Well. At least she's a little less prolific than that fox._

The snake thought with some amusement, setting his bag on the desk and pulling out different dried herbs in small jars. "Of course. But before I do, could you describe why you think your yokai interfered?"

Inuyasha looked the snake over curiously. He was a cornsnake- the same one who had delivered Diaozuan's kits not so long ago. His hair was a sort of orangish-blonde; streaked with many different shades of those two colors. Near his temples, scales that matched those streaks glittered. And on the back of his hands starting at his knuckles, the same scales though a tad darker.

"Well anytime she takes over, I have these big gaps in memory. And I have a gap between lifting it up to my mouth, and the cup being totally empty. It was just … weird."

Hearing the hesitation in her own voice she quickly spat, " So hurry up and make it already!"

Yuki chuckled and nodded, "Yes, of course, my Lady." He walked over to the fireplace inside Sesshomaru's bedroom, and set the kettle on, stoking the flames a bit higher. He then returned to the chair at the desk, mixing and grinding some dry ingredients in some combination only he was fully aware of.

"But… just so we're clear- if it is your yokai interfering, I'm not sure I will be able to convince her, either. They can be stubborn about these sorts of things, you know." He said, quietly. His eyes were a bright piercing green and his pupils were slightly slitted.

It reminded him in an unpleasant way of Ryuu, the dragon.

And yet, Yuki was nothing like him. He was always smiling, and his voice had a gentle quality, not that horrid slipperiness of the dragon.

"Well fuckin' force her to. I ain't carrying a pup into a war. Even I'm not that stupid." Inuyasha huffed, crossing her arms tight.

Yuki laughed softly at the hanyou's brashness. " Inuyasha, my yokai is hardly a match for yours, especially now that she's bound to my Lord Sesshomaru. This may be a decision she has to go to Sesshomaru's yokai for. But, we'll see soon enough."

As the water boiled over he grabbed the hot kettle, without using a rag.

Inuyasha startled and warned, " Hey! Watch it, that thing's-" only to pause as Yuki gave him an amused expression. After pouring the tea and sprinkling in the strange dry ingredients, he set the kettle aside and showed Inuyasha his palms. They had skin-colored scales and there wasn't a red welt anywhere that he could see. " Not a problem for most reptile yokai, my Lady. No worries. It kinda feels nice actually, especially in the winter."

Inuyasha stared for a moment before turning her head and huffing. Not liking the fact that she was impressed. " Huh. So, are all snakes like that?"

"Oh, most. Dragons too. Our Daiyokai had the thickest scales though." Yuki said softly as he went back to his chair, checking to see if the tea was brewed yet. He leaned back when he realized it still needed a few minutes.

"Um. So. How hard are they? I mean, if you were to get chopped with a sword or something." Inuyasha said, unable to help her curiosity. Yuki perked up a little, surprised but pleasantly so that Inuyasha would be interested in anything remotely related to snake yokai.

"Oh- well, for me, I can stop most regular blades. Not ones like Bakusaiga or Tetsaiga though. Those are too sharp. But back in the good old days, there were snake and dragon yokai that were sometimes born blessed with the hardness of certain rocks or minerals of the earth. They-" He paused, and scratched the back of his neck, " I'm sorry, I'm probably boring you."

"No!" Inuyasha assured, leaning on one palm gently. " No. I wanna know more."

Yuki moved some of his bangs before saying softly, " Some were blessed with stones- like rubies or sapphires. They'd grow under their skin, and they could use them like armor, and control where they formed. They shedded them when they weren't needed." He explained.

"I remember once, when I was very little I met a snake who was blessed with gold. Her scales weren't very hard obviously, but they were very pretty. I remember she used to play with us, and make them form a mask around her eyes." He said, and laughed. " But of course, there's the big one that existed a long time ago."

He made a fist, and looked at Inuyasha with some playfulness.

"There was a legend that one of them had armor of pure diamonds." He said, smirking. Inuyasha perked up and gasped, "What? No way!" Leaning so far off the bed that Yuki was a bit concerned she'd fall off.

"Mm hmm. He was so cool- snake and dragon tribes have legends about him. Not a dragon or snake has been born with that since, though. It's such a shame! Oh- its ready." Yuki said, standing and handing the cup to Inuyasha before taking his seat once more.

Inuyasha made a face, "God it stinks." And then sighed, pretending to toast with the snake yokai. "Bottom's up I guess. Uh. If it is my yokai. Good luck."

The minute it even got close to Inuyasha's lips, Yuki flinched when he saw her eyes go that alarming red-and-blue once more.

A terrible snarl ripped from her lips and she tossed the cup to the wall. As it shattered and tiny white pieces fell to the floor in glittering arks, she tackled the snake demon to the ground.

One hand was around his throat. The other was raised high, short, brutal claws glinting before the cup had even finished shattering. She was a beautiful and terrible creature; the jagged marks on her cheeks a perfect accent to the fetid yellow of her gaze. Her skin was caramel and flawless- yet, her nose was wrinkled in a horrid snarl up to the bridge, and her fangs overlapped her bottom gums as she showed them in a fierce display.

Yuki's own eyes had changed as well. The sclera was a deep purple, and the iris a soft sunlit golden. And he murmured, " Sesshomaru would not be happy his mate killed the only other snake healer in the Palace." and his voice was laced with a lisp as his own fangs impaired his speech.

She paused mid-strike. Thinking.

Then resentfully, lowered her hand before spitting another low growl in his direction. Something he felt deep in the soles of his feet and his ribcage. His eyes slowly changed back to the bright green of before. He let himself stay in her grip, for now.

"Why don't you take the potion?" Yuki asked, his voice so soft that her ears twitched faintly to catch it.

"Hardly any business of yours, snake." She spat in his face, still angry the stupid hanyou had tried it a second time. Her other half was smarter than she gave her credit for.

"It is, actually. I serve Lord Sesshomaru. His mate's health is my business by association." The snake pointed out, very softly. Not wanting to anger her. But he needed information. He needed to know why the yokai was being so stubborn.

Her ears changed positions- going from hostility, to consideration, and finally relaxing backwards slightly. Her hand was removed from the snake's throat and he sat up, rubbing the red mark there to try and get it to fade.

She sat back on top of her legs and crossed an arm over her abdomen. The fire rat robes were a little too big for her: obscuring her hand except for a few fingers. The yokai glanced at the door to make sure it was closed before saying in hardly a whisper, " Our union had produced a life in me- the hanyou can't detect it so quickly, but I can. I won't reject such a gift, though I know it's hardly good timing."

Yuki's face showed surprise. Inuyasha's other half was surprisingly eloquent when she wasn't trying to kill you.

Then her face hardened again and her eyes became steel. "If you try to have the hanyou drink this again I will kill you. You can be certain of that."

"I won't." Yuki assured her. "But I needed to understand why. How would you like to handle this, then? I'm … not so sure the hanyou will be thrilled with your decision."

The yokai laughed softly, "Well, she'll have to get over it. I made my mate a promise, and I intend to keep it. Besides..." She looked off and admitted, " I sense my body will go back to being male after the pup is born. This is my only opportunity to fulfill that promise. I shan't waste it."

"Shall I tell her, then?"

"No, not yet. She's rather stressed about enough as it is. I'll let her figure it out on her own… if Sesshomaru doesn't first." The yokai murmured, thinking back to when her mate was commenting about her scent changing. He'd recognize it soon enough. Perhaps she'd make the hanyou bathe more often to cover the scent- she too, wanted to fight by his side rather than be stuck behind the barrier when the dragon yokai arrived.

Abruptly, Inuyasha's eyes faded back to that soft white and yellow. She stood mildly, then looked over at the wall where a streak of the tea dripped. Then, down to the shattered bits on the floor.

"Damn it." She went back to the bed and perched herself on the footboard.

"So, what's her excuse? Did she talk to you at all?"

Yuki felt torn. On one hand, he wanted to tell her the truth as his Lord's mate. On the other, her yokai had specifically asked him not to because it'd stress her out.

The snake ran a hand over his short ponytail nervously. " She did speak with me. It has to do with a promise she made to Sesshomaru's yokai when she marked him. I think… it's something that you and Sesshomaru should discuss. I'll talk with him. I am sorry I can't be of more help." He went over to the wall to start picking up the cup, and Inuyasha joined him.

" Also she did threaten to kill me if I made you another cup, so, unfortunately, I don't think she's taking any for now." Inuyasha swore under her breath. Stubborn bitch. What was she planning?

Something deep in his gut hinted at why, and she shoved the feeling away. Ears trembling just a little. It had only been once after all. Would have to be quite the unlucky coincidence to have _that_ happen on the first try.

Then again… the hanyou's luck had never exactly been in her favor.

She carefully dropped the rest of the pieces into the trash, apologizing softly for breaking it. Yuki was soon on his way to find Sesshomaru and Inuyasha was back in bed.

Tired? Not especially. Just… utterly frustrated with her yokai. How the hell did Sesshomaru deal with this all the time? How did any yokai? It felt like her every move was being constantly undermined. Even worse, since she was so strong there wasn't much Inuyasha could do to ruin her plans.

Unfortunately, Yuki became distracted by other Palace citizens with injuries, and was unable to speak with Sesshomaru that day about it.

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"Where is Lady Inuyasha? I swear, sometimes I wonder about the existence of the hanyou, Lord Sesshomaru. She hardly ever attends these meetings."

Sesshomaru was shoving down rising irritation and anger. For some reason, the Tiger of the North seemed to keep steering the conversation back to the hanyou. His companion, a female tiger, had tried to reign in this more than once but had been disregarded.

"As I stated before, she is not fond of royal duties and is hardly obligated to them, given her position." Sesshomaru said icily. The tail over his shoulder was beginning to bristle just slightly and he ran a hand over it, forcing the fur down. Keeping an eye on the tiger who sat on the other side of the table.

"Yes yes. But why not? Do you think she is incapable?"

" Hardly. She is just more adept in other duties within the Palace."

" Hm." The tiger seemed dissatisfied with this answer and murmured, " A hanyou, with weak human blood. I mean, I know she produced two Daiyokai, but you were the one who birthed one of them right? And the other was a throwback, so she can hardly take credit for the purity of their blood. She doesn't really deserve to be here, does she? So unless you're lying-"

The atmosphere in the room suddenly seemed to darken. Many of the guests also at the table began to shift uncomfortably as the air around them thickened with Sesshomaru's demonic aura.

"Goodness. After Koga, I thought it was understood that _no one, ever_ , was to question Inuyasha's capabilities or presence in my Palace." Sesshomaru whispered, his voice dripping with venom. He couldn't help but react as any yokai would if their mate had been insulted to their face.

"My Lord- I didn't mean-" The Tiger tried to backpedal, looking to his assistant for help. But she merely gave him a cold stare.

A few of the other guests gave each other looks like _oh shit, its going down._ A few even looked greatly satisfied, as they too were tired of the Tiger Lord's ignorance and egoism. They watched with surprise and some confusion as Sesshomaru gently moved plates, cutlery and glasses left and right of the Tiger Lord's table setting.

"Apparently, I must be a bit more _forceful_. I will burn this one rule into the memory of everyone in this room."

Sesshomaru's hair was lifting and waving faintly as if underwater. His eyes blood and fire and wicked ice, and his dog teeth were beginning to show through perfect pink lips. Sesshomaru's voice was as heavy and cold as the deepest, darkest pit in the ocean. Some guests brought their hands to their throats, the air coming to their lungs heavy as mercury.

He could feel the power of his dragon blood, glittering painfully through his veins. Luckily his eyes were so narrowed no one noticed the slight slitting of his pupils.

From the frigid depths his voice carried out to the simple order,

" ** _Lord Gaku_**. You will slam your face into the table just hard enough to rupture your nose."

 _SLAM._

Unlike Koga, the Tiger Lord's yokai was weaker and unable to fight the order for even an instant. When he sat back up his sclera were black and his iris's a bright orange- his yokai had come to the surface. Blood was dripping freely down his lips and chin, staining his outfit. A large red splash of blood was right where his plate would have been if Sesshomaru had not courteously moved it.

"You know." Sesshomaru murmured, picking at his claws for a moment while the other guests cowered in wonder and fear.

"I've not yet had the opportunity to relieve someone of their flesh prison with this voice. Would it be a painless death, a rupture of the veins in your head? Or would it be more gruesome – perhaps, a liquification of all the internal organs? Feeling your life slide out of every orifice in chunks of viscera?" He sat up then, reached across the table.

Grabbed the tiger by his collar and yanked him almost out of his seat. Their faces so close he could feel the tiger's terrified, raspy breath on his face.

" Give me a reason, Gaku. I beg you."

The tiger said nothing. Tears of fear and pain slipping out from his eyes and downwards to join the bloody waterfall that his crooked nose had produced. His breathing impaired by the blood drying in his nose and throat.

"So. On to the accusation of me being untruthful. Those who accuse me of that must surely, have a history as pure as newly fallen snow." Sesshomaru shoved the tiger yokai back into his seat and grabbed up his parchment and brush, dipping it into the ink and flipping to a fresh page.

"I've always been curious. How did your father manage to destroy the snake Daiyokai and their wonderous Palace all in one night? **_Tell me the truth, Gaku. All of it_**."

And so, the tiger Lord did.

The others in the room were shocked at the tale. The tigers had often described their victory as honorable, that they managed to beat the snake Daiyokai fair and square. However, the truth was much different.

They had attacked the snake Palace on one of their festival nights, midwinter. Snakes often became lethargic and cold in wintertime, and the festival was sure to bring many snakes from all around the globe to one place.

The tigers were utterly merciless- woman and children were not spared. The Daiyokai were poisoned and thrown underground to die slow and painful deaths. Once the Tigers had secured the Palace, they brought in their reinforcements and levelled the entire Palace to the ground with a mix of trebuchets, fires, and corrosive poisons.

When finished, they spent weeks covering evidence to make the battle look fair. Then, they made the victory official and began to build the Tiger Palace, one valley over from the ruins of the snake Palace.

Most yokai had thought the story didn't sound quite right. But since no snake witnesses survived to tell the other side of the story, how could they have gotten the truth?

Well. They were getting it now.

Sesshomaru was writing quickly and efficiently, the little strokes of his brush neat and perfect. Others in the room were writing down the story feverishly as well. It was the first time that the truth of the victory had been told and everyone in the room was flabbergasted.

A story of victory was revealed to be nothing more than a horrific slaughter of a zodiac branch for money, land, and prestige.

The tiger was trembling when he was finished. Once or twice, he'd managed to stay quiet for a moment or two. But a single word or growl from Sesshomaru soon launched him into the rest of the story. Never had the tiger endured something so embarrassing and terrifying. He was supposed to keep the story of that victory to his grave and now…

"Thank you so much for your cooperation." Sesshomaru said, and his voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Gaku. Understand that if you ever insult my marked one again, I will not hesitate to kill you. Now."

Sesshomaru ran a hand through his hair, giving a long tired sigh. Gaku was lucky he was one of the four main rulers or he would have killed him without hesitation. He was so very tired and irritated of his mate being insulted.

 _I knew mating her would make me more protective. But I had no idea it would induce this kind of rage, as well. I can hardly think straight._

" I want you to smash your head to the table with enough force to pass out, but not to incur lasting damage. **_Do it, Gaku_**."

And for a few seconds, the tiger yokai fought Sesshomaru's order. But it was not enough.

 _BANG._

"Meeting adjourned." Sesshomaru murmured, and the other yokai quickly dispersed from the room. All except the female tiger yokai who was looking with worry to her master. Sesshomaru glanced at his guards and ordered, "Take Gaku to his room. He's going to need rest."

The Foo-Dogs complied, picking up the tiger and carrying him carefully off. Sesshomaru stood and pushed his seat in , surprised to see the female tiger still standing. She was wearing a pretty black kimono with silver cranes along the sleeves and hem. From her hair hung white pearls, and the tiger stripes on her cheeks streaked up into her hair in stripes of orange and black.

Overall Sesshomaru thought her attractive in her own strange way.

"I should have sent you from the room, Lady Emiko. My apologies." Sesshomaru murmured, offering her a hand. She took it after a moment and stood from her chair, and he could feel the low tremors of fear lacing through her hand.

" It's nothing, Lord Sesshomaru. I fear my master has had that coming for some time. To insult a Daiyokai's marked one…" She shook her head, her eyes full of tears. " Since he has not one of his own, he does not understand the depth of the insult. Hanyou or not."

"I see." Sesshomaru understood but was not repentant. Perhaps the tiger Lord of the North was a yokai who only understood through consequence, not words. He paused once they were out of the green room. Many of the yokai were discussing what had happened. Some even seemed pleased.

"I assume you do not want me to escort you to your rooms." Sesshomaru said dryly. The tiger female paused, and said softly, " Actually, I am short of friends in the Palace, aside from my lord. It would be nice if it didn't inconvenience you."

He blinked in surprise and nodded, offering her an arm. She took it lightly, and they walked down the many glittering hallways together. No doubt his guards had already taken Gaku all the way to his rooms by now.

"What a terrible power you have, Lord Sesshomaru." She whispered as they walked through rays of sunlight. Her gaze wandering out the windows thoughtfully.

"Its not a talent I enjoy using." Sesshomaru said quietly. Sad to see the yokai quite shaken from the experience- her grip was weak and her face was quite pale. And yet…there was an almost feverish interest in her eyes. And her cheeks were flushed.

"I know how strange this may sound my Lord, but… I am grateful it was you who was so blessed, and not Inukimi." She said , and her voice was low and quiet. When he tried to meet her gaze, he was surprised that she glanced away.

He looked away then as well, slight amusement on his face. "As am I. It would have made taking my birthright a bit more difficult."

 _Ah. My little display of power has made her all ruffled._

It was something about females that he'd noticed. Showing off like that always got them hot and bothered. Inuyasha was not really that way though. She'd never been particularly awed by his power- or if she had, she'd been damn good about hiding it. Maybe that was what he liked about her.

"It's funny, you know. For some reason I imagined your arm would be cold. But you're just as warm as any other yokai." She said, then flushed when she seemed to realize what she'd said.

To her relief Sesshomaru gave a snort of amusement. "Inuyasha assumed that for some time as well. Its quite amusing, the impressions other yokai have of me. I assure you I am as much flesh and blood as you." He dropped her off at her rooms and she gave him one last wave before disappearing to go look after her master.

Sesshomaru went to visit Inuyasha. His yokai was nagging him to do so and sometimes it was easier to comply than to push the instincts down.

Imagine Inuyasha's surprise when Sesshomaru slipped into her rooms, gathering her up silently in his arms and just holding her for a moment. Tucking his head down to the curve where her neck met her shoulders. In his lap she felt smaller than ever- hardly a child.

"You're awfully cuddly today." She said mildly. He didn't answer and her ears flicked in slight concern.

 _She's not incorrect._ The Daiyokai thought. It **_was_** a tad unusual behavior, but his yokai was the one who was urging him to stay near. It was strange.

"Sesshomaru?" She asked very softly. One of her claws touching his cheek. But he said nothing, merely holding her a bit tighter and taking in a breath of her scent. Then finally, he spoke inside her skull:

 _You are worthy of me. Why can others not see what I can? As a hanyou you've accomplished more in your short years than they have in the entirety of their miserable lives. Yet they presume to insult you. Degrade you. And write off your accomplishments as coincidences._

 _It is infuriating._

" You'll get used to it. All part of the joy of being a hanyou. You didn't kill anyone, did you?" She asked, softly. And Sesshomaru gave a slight shake of the head. "Well, that's good at least." She got a bit more comfortable in his arms, snuggling down and pulling up her arms and legs until she was nearly invisible in the piles of his sleeves and tail.

"Should I show up for like, 5 minutes of a meeting once or twice? Would that help?"

The Daiyokai murmured, " I fear that'd be more than enough time for you to get angry enough to use Tetsaiga."

Inuyasha huffed. " I might not. And if it'd help somehow I'd be willing to keep my mouth shut." She closed her eyes and let out a big sigh. It felt so nice to be so protected. Damn. He was making her embarrassingly needy.

 _I will consider it._ He assured. And yet. He was sure if she was present that would make his temper even more volatile, especially if someone presumed to even hint at an insult to her.

"You're comfy."

He growled and rolled his eyes, nuzzling into her neck once more.

This scent. He knew it. It was so faint, hardly detectable to any yokai but a Foo-Dog's nose. Faintly breadlike. Quite pleasant.

 _What is it?_

 _I know this smell._

He thought. His silver lashes closed and his slim eyebrows knotting faintly in concentration. An arm unconsciously wrapping low on her waist. Inuyasha squeaked in surprise and he waited to be pushed away.

Instead, she seemed to soften a bit. Got quiet.

Her face was as red as her robes, though she didn't know why. Her ears low on her head and twitching faintly. Something about the warmth of his arm at that spot on her body made her more compliant than usual. She could feel the five points of his claws on her abdomen and her heartbeat quickened.

 _I feel so strange. Is this normal? Maybe for girls it is, but…_

 _I can't shake the feeling something's wrong._

Sesshomaru sensed her reaction with interest. That was odd. Usually she'd just get mad and push him away.

"I want this damn fight over with already, Sesshomaru. The wait is killing me." She murmured, looking out the window with weary eyes.

"For some, the waiting is the hardest. Use this time to hone your strength. I am here. " He assured her, and felt her arm wrap over his gently. She hesitated, at first. Then, their fingers laced together over the secret inside her belly. Inuyasha closed her eyes and her ears folded back, the fur shimmering slightly.

And just as Sesshomaru was dangerously close to pinning down her scent, there was a knock at the door.

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No Fan of Kikyo- Well she isn't going to find out for a while. But blowing her stack would be an accurate depiction of her reaction lol ~

EatEmUp- Yep- Sesshomaru only puts his hair up for 2 things; fightin' and (you know xp) And, Inu's yokai is gonna try and keep it a secret for a while, so Sesshy won't find out until a bit later. But it'll all be worth it I promise. And as far as having too many kids go… eheh, no spoilers, but let's just say that you don't have to worry about overpopulation for too much longer (don't hate me plz). Its all part of my master plan.


	13. Chapter 13

Turned out, it was Yuki. The snake however, balked at the last minute- instead, offering only that Inuyasha's yokai didn't want to take the potion. Not mentioning why. The snake didn't mean to lie- but the look on the lord's face when he'd started getting close to the truth made his heart sink in his stomach.

Besides, the hanyou was still a hanyou. Carrying a yokai or even Daiyokai to term was going to be tough for Inuyasha- it was entirely possible that she might miscarry.

So the snake would monitor Inuyasha himself. And only if it looked like a successful pregnancy would he report it to his lord.

Sesshomaru was not convinced. He could sense Yuki wasn't telling him the whole truth and he didn't understand why. But for the moment he let it go- he trusted Yuki to have good reason for his evasiveness. Perhaps Inuyasha's yokai _wanted_ to become pregnant.

 _Or perhaps…_

 _She already **is**? _

_After all, the yokai sense these things well before we do-_

No. He shoved the thought away. He didn't want to think about Inuyasha's reaction if she became with pup. Especially his pup- hell, she'd carry pretty much anyone else's pup better than his.

The Daiyokai did not want to be hated by her, not when they'd just begun healing. Nor did he want her to resent any pup that occupied her belly.

Sesshomaru knew what it was like to be unloved by your own mother; the one who had given you life in the first place. It had ground down his 'personality' to almost nothing. It had rendered him near-silent and emotionless for a large portion of his existence. Stunted and unable to grow as father had. But, with Diaozuan and Inuyasha, they'd… given him back his life.

And he did not wish that on any yokai. That's why he'd had her take the tea- so he didn't have to worry about it.

But now that he knew her yokai was refusing it, worry settled in his belly.

 _And yet._

As much as he hated to admit it, there was a tiny part of him that was curious. Excited even at the possibility of a pup, especially from the hanyou. Would it be a fourth human? Or would it be a true yokai?

He remembered how he'd felt carrying Katsu and Toshi. And most of all, he remembered how carrying the pup and kit had somehow solidified his bond with both of them. How their movements had reminded Sesshomaru of their fathers.

Katsu had been like Inuyasha from the start- his movements in her had always been sudden and spontaneous and strong. He'd sometimes kicked her so hard it nearly took her breath away.

And Toshi had been so like Diaozuan- his movements slow and graceful. Gentle. Yet every bit as powerful as Katsu.

Carrying their children had bonded Sesshomaru to both the fox and the hanyou in a way that he didn't even fully understand.

Sesshomaru shook his head to clear his mind of those thoughts.

 _Surely her yokai is wrong. Or simply wishing to become impregnated. I will just have to keep an eye on Inuyasha from now on._

Inuyasha's yokai had her bathing in lavender most nights to keep the scent secret from her mate. And it seemed to be working so far- every time Sesshomaru tried to pinpoint the scent the stink of lavender covered it so completely it left him sneezing.

But even she couldn't hide the other symptoms that came with carrying a pup.

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Sesshomaru ended up buckling, and agreed to let Inuyasha attend one of the meetings for a few minutes.

After about a half-hour's worth of a lecture on etiquette, Sesshomaru felt that she was as ready as she would be.

And of course, he gave himself a small pep talk as well. She was his mate, but no one needed to know that just yet. He needed to keep a lid on himself as much as her.

Inuyasha looked around the room in wonder. This time they were in the purple room – it was smaller and more intimate, as he was only meeting with four other representatives today. On the walls crawled purple dragons, silver cranes, and brilliantly drawn nature scenes. Inuyasha was in awe. The furniture was a deep cherry color, and the fabric of every piece matched the tones and patterns on the walls.

She felt as if she could spend all day simply admiring the walls. Who had done this magnificent art? She wanted to run her claws along the glimmering water, trace a wing of a bird so real she was sure it'd squalk and flutter away.

And then, her heart was struck with pain. For when the dragons came surely they would destroy this if they entered the Palace walls. That could not happen.

And then of course, she saw those attending. Each one decked out in layer upon layer of fancy clothes. The women with glittering jewelry in their hair and along their wrists.

And as always, she felt inadequate.

Sesshomaru had instructed her to put her hair up for the meeting; had even helped her comb it into a perfect high ponytail. Yet now, she felt as if she didn't even deserve his mark. Not in front of all these yokai.

He seemed to sense this and stayed shoulder-to-shoulder with her. She could feel the warmth of his arm.

 _You are my mate, Inuyasha. You have nothing to fear from them._

She almost shuddered as mixed emotions flooded her. Sesshomaru's mate. It sounded so completely foreign.

 _Will I ever feel worthy of any of this?_

" This is my marked one, Lady Inuyasha. After Lord Gaku's interruption, I assume at least a few of you will be happy to confirm her existence. Inuyasha will be observing for a few minutes, as she was curious about the content of these meetings."

She nodded, and looked around. The yokai were quite surprised to see her- she was much smaller in this female form. Not only that, but quite striking. A beauty that rivaled Inukimi or perhaps, exceeded her.

Rich caramel skin. Clear, perfect yellow eyes. Those jagged, wild blue markings that advertised her sire.

"Um. Hello, everyone." She murmured, her gaze low and her ears set back tensely. Maybe this wasn't the best idea.

To Inuyasha's surprise, she was greeted warmly. Hands were shaken, and warm words exchanged. The males were immediately won over by her soft little voice, and the women were just relieved to see she still existed. And all yokai in the room were enchanted with her strangely feral beauty.

"Oh, it is so wonderful to finally see you again, Lady Inuyasha-"

"Lady Inuyasha, we are quite blessed to be in your presence. Tell me, are you well? Is life in the Palace treating you fairly?"

And of course, all were fascinated by the dog ears- for none had ever met a hanyou so perfectly formed. Most were deformed either physically or mentally- but the potency of Inu No Taisho's blood had kept Inuyasha safe from these side effects.

And on the back of her neck, Sesshomaru's pretty blue crest glinted. A gentle reminder not to fuck with her.

After introductions and side chatter were made, they sat. Inuyasha was on the lefthand side of Sesshomaru. Next to Inuyasha was a representative of the rat tribe. And to Sesshomaru's right, Emiko the tiger yokai. Her master was a little nervous to be in Sesshomaru's presence. And Sesshomaru much preferred the softer and more reasonable tones of Emiko so it seemed to work well for both of them.

"Emiko. You're the representative of the Tiger tribe this morning. What strategies do you suggest in regards of the food shortages among your lower-ranked zodiac tribes, and the North and Northeast in general?"

She tucked a black striped strand of hair behind her ear. Along her cheeks, stripes of black and orange went up into her hairline and glimmered there. "Well, I think-"

As she spoke, Inuyasha decided to take notes. She needed to do _something_ , otherwise she'd start pacing or tapping like crazy. Her penmanship wasn't great but she'd be able to read it when this was over, and that was what mattered.

As she got out the brush and started to dip, her elbow bumped Sesshomaru's. Inuyasha blinked in surprise. The Daiyokai was writing down one or two things as well… with his left hand.

 _You're left-handed?_

She asked, surprised. How the hell had she never noticed that before? Well, to be fair, she'd only really taken note of his strikes after his arm had been lobbed off. He'd definitely been right-handed after that.

It had never occurred to her that he'd originally been left-handed.

Sesshomaru paused as well and nodded.

 _Yes. Of course, now I'm a tad more ambidextrous._

 _I honestly never knew. Wow. Are you like, artsy? Isn't that how left handed people are? I mean, and obviously the devil's spawn, but I kinda knew that already._

She felt humor on Sesshomaru's end as he re-wetted his brush.

 _I never considered myself particularly artistically talented._ He lifted the brush, indicating the wallpapers with a flick.

 _As an example, this room is mine, as are several other wallpapers within the Palace. Mother thought it was imperative I be trained in all arts, including fine painting._

Inuyasha almost gaped. Was he joking? She could spend forever in this room staring at the walls and never get bored. And this was coming from someone who needed to be moving always.

She paused then, and tensed. The rat tribe representative was ogling her and leaning uncomfortably close. She leaned back a bit, ears pinning and lip beginning to rise. Sesshomaru swallowed the urge to rip out the rat yokai's throat. Instead, he leaned between Inuyasha and the back of her chair, his face uncomfortably close to the rat yokai as he said dangerously, " Can I **_help_** you, Nobunaka?" his eyes narrowed.

The rat yokai squeaked, and scooted his chair back, shaking his head vigorously. " N-No my lord! I apologize!" He'd been so caught up in Inuyasha's beauty he'd near forgotten about the mark on her neck. Sure, Sesshomaru claimed it was only a familial bond… but his actions were in a rather grey area. He quickly scrambled and started taking notes.

Sesshomaru eased slowly back into his seat after he was sure the rat's eyes were firmly on his notes. Inuyasha huffed and settled herself. A weird feeling twisted in her stomach, having him defend her like that. Anger- for she could defend herself. But there was something else as well.

 _I feel…Grateful._

Inuyasha paused before saying inside Sesshomaru's head;

 _Thanks. You know I could've taken him though._

Sesshomaru paused and she sensed a smile in the corner of his lips.

 _Of course. But I'd prefer you not rip apart this room with your Wind Scar. Not to mention the rest of my guests._

 _You and your guests. God, I can't wait to get set loose on the battlefield in a few weeks. I am going to kick so much ass, even you'll be impressed._

 _You'll be like 'Oh Inuyasha, I wish I had a hundred hanyou's just like you!'._

She made sure to make Sesshomaru's voice extra girly. This time, a small smile did grace those perfect pink lips. Sesshomaru was quick to hide it behind his brush, pretending to bring it there in thought.

 _I sound nothing like that._

Inuyasha's ears folded contentedly and she watched the conversation flit from one yokai to another. Nothing how though they seemed comfortable occasionally interrupting each other, no one, ever interrupted the Lord of the West.

And for some reason that sent a tiny spark of pride in her chest.

 _They respect him so much. And for good reason._

Sure, half of it was probably fear but- a twinge of nausea made her ears flick uncertainly. She swallowed it down, raising a brow. Weird. Had she eaten something off? She'd had the same breakfast as she usually did…

And though he'd initially meant to send her off after five or ten minutes, Inuyasha managed to keep her cool throughout the whole meeting. Then again… perhaps having her here made it much harder to insult her. Either way, no one made even the slightest insult towards her and Sesshomaru was relieved. She also contributed a few insights to the conversation, having seen many human famines before.

A month passed.

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Toshi hadn't slept for the last two days.

He'd been staying in Sesshomaru's room, in his 'mother's arms, but eyes wide all through the night.

"Kittling. I'm going to give you some sleeping tea. But first, tell me what is keeping you awake." Sesshomaru murmured. He didn't like giving the kit any potions, but at this point he didn't have much choice. It was around three in the morning. And if the kit didn't get some sleep soon, he'd be incoherent during the battle.

Which wouldn't matter if things went well.

But it would matter if they did not go well.

The light was the palest shades of grey and blue. Barely glinting over the horizon. Toshi was a mess- dark circles under his eyes. Diaozuan's eyes- so beautiful, framed in those dark lashes.

He looked so like his father. His tail had grown too- about two feet long now, and quite fluffy. He wore a simple hakama pants and shirts like his brothers and sisters, and his hair was beginning to flop down into his eyes.

"I keep seeing the -the battle, Maru. Over and over, all different ways." He finally admitted, hiccupping miserably. His tiny hands balling in the collar of Sesshomaru's kimono. Sesshomaru rested his hand on the boy's back, rubbing circles to do his best to comfort him and sighing. Well.

The kit got quiet, then for a moment. " Something's wrong with me, isn't there. I don't wanna see this stuff. I don't wanna be like this."

 _It is time, isn't it._

"There is nothing wrong with you, Toshi- you are sight-blessed. You can see what happens in the future in your dreams. Good, and bad. Its not a very common gift." Sesshomaru murmured, smoothing Toshi's hair from his forehead and pressing a light kiss to the crescent mark that rested on his forehead. Sesshomaru's mark. He remembered how shocked he'd been the day Toshi had been born – to see his own mark on the little fox kit. But it suited him well.

"S-sight blessed?" He murmured, looking up in surprise before snuggling back down into Sesshomaru's arms. Thinking it over.

"Mm hmm. You have a gift. You have already helped me greatly. My voice is powerful enough to call for aid should we require it. You may have saved us all, little kittling." He murmured, meeting his son's scared gaze with affection.

"I know this must be frightening. But remember that you can use it to help our family. With time, you may even learn to control what you want to concentrate on and block out what you do not wish to see." Sesshomaru had been researching sight-blessed yokai when he had time, and found that as they matured, they were usually able to hone in on certain events or timeframes at will.

He seemed to consider this, and said very softly, "There's – one message that keeps repeating in my head, Sesshomaru. The silver dragon will come by midnight of the third day. I just keep hearing that over and over. I guess it must be a message for you."

"Of the third day." Sesshomaru pondered. Well. He wouldn't be surprised at all if the fight went on for three days or more. But why on earth would Ryuu delay his appearance?

 _Unless… he was busy on a different battlefront._

Golden eyes narrowed. So that was it. He'd hit the fox tribe first.

 _I must warn Diaozuan._

"Sess?" Purple eyes glanced upwards, then down. "How come I'm so sensitive? I worry all the time. I wanna be more like Katsu but I'm …weak."

Sesshomaru looked down at the kit in surprise, and then said firmly, " Kittling. You are not weak for having emotions like fear and worry for others."

Toshi looked up in surprise at the sternness of Sesshomaru's voice. His little eyes wide. Sesshomaru smoothed back some hair from his forehead and said quietly, " When I was a bit younger, I saw those emotions as nothing but weakness too. But overtime… I began to doubt myself, especially after meeting Rin."

He remembered her there. Lying in a pool of her own blood, mauled to death by wolves. And he remembered seeing the life coming back into those honey brown eyes as they looked up at him. Full of the trust and innocence that only children have.

" Originally, I was only interested in gaining power, and using that power to fight the most powerful demons on this earth. But as I got older, I began wondering- what exactly do I gain, if I do become the most powerful Daiyokai in existence?"

Sesshomaru sighed and ran a hand through his hair. " Of course the conclusion was one I was aware of... But ashamed by. For should I attain them, I would have naught but empty titles. The prize was my own ego. You see kit- these emotions are where growth occurs. When you fight or feel pain for someone else, you're being empathetic, merciful. True strength comes from the pain of connecting with others."

He pressed a kiss to the jet-black hair and then looked into those jeweled purple eyes.

" It is not weakness. It is potential for greatness. But do not to let it consume you. Okay?"

Toshi hiccuped, tears forming in his little eyes. He didn't know what to say- only that there were a lot of very strong emotions in very small body and that they were bubbling over. The fox scooted up in the sheets and wrapped his arms around Sesshomaru's neck, burying his face under the curtain of Sesshomaru's thick silver hair. And he could feel his little body trembling all over.

"Okay. Daddy-"

Sesshomaru wrapped him with both his arms, and tucked him close to his body.

"All will be well. I love you very much, Toshi." He murmured, rubbing those tiny shoulder blades and feeling the way Toshi's little hands were gripping along the material of his outfit.

 _My beautiful, sweet kit. How amazing it is that someone like this came from someone like me._

Sesshomaru thought quietly.

"I love you too daddy." He felt the kit whisper, those tiny arms hugging his neck. Sesshomaru was grateful that none of the kits seemed to have inherited his cruel, dis-associative nature. Then again… it was entirely possible that had just been a defense brought to the surface by his mothers' training and influence.

For though he took on that persona for work, the person he was around Inuyasha and Diaozuan seemed different.

Toshi drank the tea, and Sesshomaru tucked him into bed. It was easy enough- the sheets and blankets were easy to tuck under his little body until Toshi was like a little burrito. Perhaps he was getting a bit old for it now, but since he'd asked, Sesshomaru didn't mind it.

The Daiyokai sat quietly next to the fox kit. And just as he was drifting off to sleep he murmured,

" Maru?"

"Hm?" Sesshomaru's eyes were slightly glazed, a more honey golden than usual.

" We're gonna be together forever, aren't we?"

In the low light, the Daiyokai's shoulders tensed ever so slightly. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the part of that black hair, then nuzzled along the side of the kit's face. A low affectionate rumble-growl in the back of his throat.

"Forever is a long time kittling. Time has a way of changing things."

Toshi was confused- nevertheless, he nuzzled his father back. A combination of exhaustion and the sleeping tea taking hold of him and dipping him into unconsciousness before he had a chance to ask Sesshomaru what he meant.

The Daiyokai was so lost in his thoughts that when he shut the door to Toshi's room, he was actually startled to find Inuyasha walking down the hallway to greet him.

She was as radiant as ever- the jagged blue markings on her cheeks nearly black thanks to the low light, and her eyes a beautiful sunny golden. Warm and fiery.

" Is he finally asleep? I was… worried." She asked, her voice low as not to wake him up. Sesshomaru nodded, but his thoughts were far away. He looked a little pale, almost… shaken.

He reached out to her, hesitated in midair.

Then let his claw gently trace the mark on her left cheek. The blood of Inu No Taisho would not be enough. Inuyasha was still brought into the world via the body of a human woman. It was who she was, ingrained in her every last cell. Sesshomaru's mark had probably bought her a few more years but not enough.

Not enough.

 _I will have to bury you someday, Inuyasha. Just as my children will bury me._

There was a tremor in Sesshomaru's touch that Inuyasha had never felt before. She tried to reach out- he was blocking her, his barrier keeping her safe from his thoughts.

He'd always known that to be true. But the reminder of Inuyasha's mortality struck his heart with the accuracy and pain of any sword. His eyes searched Inuyasha's, and looked for an answer. Why was it that he was the one to bear this burden? Would the memories that they made be enough, when he had to leave flowers by her name?

Would he be able to enjoy the time they spent together, with the shadow of death above her?

But then… he already knew the answer to that as well.

The answer was-

 _The time we spend together is precious precisely because it is finite._

"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha whispered, genuinely concerned. Sesshomaru looked frightened and hurt in a way that Inuyasha was totally confused by.

"Know that I love you. Though I may not declare it every moment." The Daiyokai whispered in such a small voice that Inuyasha's ears strained to hear it. She went to reach for him but he gently pulled away. He desperately wanted to grab her up, hold her, cry- but this was not the time, and this was not in his nature.

He left her there in the darkening hallways. Her ears back and her face utterly confused as the door to his rooms gently shut with a wooden hiss.

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The night before the fight, Sesshomaru gathered everyone in the throne room. It was one of the few places in the Palace that would fit all of the fighters. Apparently, it was traditional to eat a special meal together before the fight; and, to receive some words of encouragement from their Lord.

It was a little overwhelming, seeing so many crescent marks plastered everywhere.

The sign of Sesshomaru's house was carved into the iron and leather plates of the shoulders, as well as the sashimono- a tiny flag meant to clarify friend from enemy in the heat of battle. The types of armor varied depending on the individual. Most yokai had lighter, leather- bound armor and minimal metal in order to move freely. However, Sesshomaru's personal guard as well as the army were fully decked out. Strips of leather and iron-scaled armor hung glittering from the waist down, while chest plates shone brightly- freshly polished.

And everywhere was the electric blue crest of his house.

As always, Inuyasha felt underdressed. She'd grudgingly accepted a manju no wa; a piece of armor one wore underneath the set of outer armor. Just in case someone's knife or sword somehow managed to get around or under her fire rat robes. Under duress she'd also accepted a guruwa; a pretty collar that protected the neck from jawline to collarbone. It was beautifully crafted; stripes of iron scales that were overlaid with gold and tiger's eye.

She stood beside Sesshomaru who had just risen from his throne. It seemed more beautiful and terrible than ever: a huge black-and-gold thing, glistening from top to bottom with fresh oils.

Sesshomaru tapped the glass he was holding gently with a few claws to quiet down the room.

He was a little more decked out than usual as well- he too, had the crescent moon on his breast plate, and Inuyasha could see iron armor scales glittering on his wrists and near his collar.

The company of mismatched yokai, army men, and the occasional farmer rose as well. All plastered with the crest that also adorned the Daiyokai's forehead.

"Good evening. I am known to be a man of few words, and I think some of you are inebriated enough to appreciate this speech being rather short."

There was a round of applause as well as a few scattered laughs.

" Simply put- I am indebted to every soul in this room for your assistance with the dragon tribe forces. If all goes well, all the zodiac tribes will know better than to ever meet the likes of us in battle again. Especially the dragon tribe. Or rather, what will be **_left_** of it." He murmured, and his eyes were molten gold.

This was met by a few cheers around the room.

"I will see all of you on the other side. A toast- to death and victory." He raised his glass, and all the men in the crowd raised theirs in return.

All across the room the sentiment was repeated, " To death and victory!" before glasses were downed. Then, a plethora of servants set out a traditional pre-fight meal; full of meats and proteins to keep the yokai going during the battle.

Inuyasha received a plate as well. Hers was especially colorful: fitting for a marked one belonging to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru's plate was interesting as well: fish and meats of all kinds. Some with the scales still on. They were in patterns and colors that Inuyasha had never seen before: but then again, perhaps yokai fish had different patterns than the ones she was used to. And of course the hanyou couldn't help but start to tuck in immediately.

Sesshomaru looked over in amusement as Inuyasha paused, seeming to realize she probably should have waited for some signal before chowing down.

She swallowed as subtly as she could, "Uh-" and Sesshomaru's expression held muted amusement.

"You never needed my permission before. Go ahead." He murmured before cutting into his own meal, looking curiously at some of the seafood. He wondered how they'd managed that, considering they were so far from the ocean.

Well into the meal, while most of the other yokai were distracted, Sesshomaru got an idea. He waited for the perfect opportunity. And when he saw it he seized it immediately.

As Inuyasha finished up her second plate she felt an affectionate swipe of tongue on the fur of her ear. She froze for a moment, then turned very slowly towards him. Her face as red as the meat piled high on Sesshomaru's plate.

The Daiyokai was the picture of innocence. Cutting his meat and then taking a small polite bite before looking over at the hanyou with a curiosity that was almost sincere.

That was, until he smirked wickedly.

 _You!_

Inuyasha kicked Sesshomaru under the table- or at least tried. They were sitting far too close together. He caught her leg deftly with his own, and used it to yank their thighs flush. This caused the hanyou to go an even better shade of red.

 _You said we were supposed to keep all this under wraps! Ass!_

 _And you are the one who escalated it._ Sesshomaru said calmly. To any onlooking yokai, Sesshomaru appeared perfectly normal, while Inuyasha seemed totally flustered about something.

 _I have told you near a hundred, no , a thousand times not to touch my-_

Sesshomaru interrupted her with a simple, _I do hope you know that your overreaction only encourages me._

Se sat there seething, knowing he was right. But getting a hold of her own reactions was not one of her strong points nor had it ever been.

 _I hate you._ She said petulantly, her tone very childish. He glanced over at her with affection and very slowly, unwrapped his leg from hers. Her ears slowly lifting in surprise at being set free.

 _Keep telling yourself that Inuyasha._

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Inuyasha sat on top of the walls of the Foo-Dog Palace, her red fire rat robes ruffling slightly in the wind.

The armies had started closing in- they'd seen them yesterday, a sea of torches far off near the mountains. And every hour, the sea of yokai, horses, and torches grew closer. She could hear their voices, the twang of the string of a bow. Farther back , she could see the rectangular outline of the siege towers. By midnight they would be at the barrier. The barrier- the golden dome of protection, shimmered about thirty feet from the Palace walls.

The barrier was resistant to arrows, swords, and any yokai with the ability to teleport. Diaozuan's miasma was familiar to the yokai who ran the Palace, so he was allowed in and out without interference, as was Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and a few other select yokai. However the barrier was not indestructible: enough pressure from direct, repeated attacks could cause it to crack. That was where Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and all the other's came in.

Their main objective was to keep the barrier going. As long as they did that and wore the armies down, the pups and everyone else in the Palace would be safe.

Inuyasha glanced down. Sesshomaru's armies were gathered just behind the glittering Eastern Pheonix Gate. Once the word was given, the gate would drop, and the two armies would meet just beyond the barrier.

The Foo-Dogs had been pleasantly surprised by how many yokai had shown up to fight by their side. The Rat Demon of the East had sent a sizeable chunk to help out, as did the Tiger Demon of the North- perhaps to try and make up for his earlier transgressions.

Even Koga had shown up with a scrappy pack of about three hundred fighters- some in their human forms and some in their yokai forms. Inuyasha had been sure to stay well away from the damn wolf-his mere existence infuriated her beyond measure.

And more than that… he seemed charmed by her appearance as a female and couldn't stop teasing her.

Sesshomaru had called Diaozuan, but the fox Palace was being surrounded as well. Apparently the dragon planned on attacking both at exactly the same time to make sure to keep Sesshomaru and Diaozuan apart.

For now, the Foo-Dog and the fox had decided that they both needed to defend their own homes. But it was also understood that if anything went wrong, Diaozuan needed to teleport himself and the kits back to the Foo-Dog Palace immediately.

And yet.

Fear had struck her as sharp as an arrow over a completely different problem. Oh, she was afraid for the pups yes- for herself, for Sesshomaru. But at least this was something she could actively fight.

Her blood-cycle was about a week late. Three drops of blood- that was all there had been, and not any since.

 _If this is what I think it is, maybe I shouldn't be fighting._

But how could she possibly just sit back and watch? She'd die of embarrassment. This was her family. She wanted to be right there in the blood and gore beside Sesshomaru. Driving back these damn yokai until everyone knew never to attack this damn place ever again.

A few guards were walking the length of the wall as well. There were so many out there it made Inuyasha a little sick to her stomach. To know how many out there wanted their family dead. She wasn't afraid exactly… it was more like an intense anxiety. Once she was down there swinging Tetsaiga she knew her mind would sharpen and shed these dumb thoughts.

"Oi! Girl-pup! How's it goin'?"

Inuyasha snarled viciously at the scent of wolf.

Koga dropped down beside her. His long black tail wagging slightly, and his caramel skin shining in the low evening light. But…there was something different about his body language. He wasn't looking for a fight with her. Heck- he was giving her some room for once.  
Her brow raised slightly. What was up with that?

Koga smirked, "Oho, not very friendly. What's wrong little pup? Ya scared of a little ol' army?"

"I ain't. _Scared_. You're the one who'll probably go running off after about five minutes of fighting, asshole." She spat. Her hair and fur rising slightly with agitation.

Koga waved a hand, " Nah. Sesshomaru'll be down there with us. I gotta make a good impression and all of that. Besides, my wolves will help with their horses." He stretched out beside her, earning another low growl from the hanyou and a short snort from the wolf.

"Awe, easy, pup. We're on the same side this time. Lighten up. Have you eaten? Sesshomaru wanted to make sure you had." He pulled out something wrapped in wax cloth and offered it to the hanyou.

Inuyasha grumbled something noncommittal and crossed her arms over her legs. "What are you, his messenger boy? Don't you got somewhere to be?"

"Not until they reach that barrier. Besides, I don't mind runnin' stuff for Sesshomaru's mate- I was on my way anyway. He's the alpha around here; best to stay on his good side, you know?" Koga said, so lightly that for a moment Inuyasha didn't catch the words as she took the little wax-cloth wrapped food. Sniffing curiously to see what was inside.

"Wait. _What_ did you call me."

His tail gave a few twitches. "Oh. Sorry. Got a nose better than most in my pack. Get's me into trouble sometimes. Like, now, for instance." Koga added, dodging a swipe from the hanyou.

"Don't tell anyone about this, Koga. I mean it! I'll skin you alive!" She hissed. He caught her claws and clicked his tongue, "Damn, girl! Save it for those guys, not me. I ain't saying a word. Hell, I'm one of the guys who kept quiet about Sesshomaru's little dragon problem, you know?"

This caught her attention. She snatched her claws back to her sides, and he smoothed a stray hair back into his ponytail. "Eh?"

Koga waved a hand. "He came to visit my tribe a while ago to help me out. When he was sitting there I smelled a tinge of dragon in his blood. He ain't the son of Inu No Taisho. But then again… Seems like canines are the only ones with sniffers well enough to tell. Or maybe other yokai know but just don't give a damn." He then looked back out at the mass of torches. The light was fading now: their faces were fading into a seething mass of people.

"I think that might work in our favor though. They say only dragons can kill other dragons, so guess we'll see."

He popped back up to his feet, only to lean over at the waist, sniffing at her hair.

She got him this time- a mark of four of her claws on his left cheek. " Ah, damn girl. Faster than you look. " And she just growled in return. She felt more hostile towards him than normal, though she didn't know why. Perhaps because this female form was still just a tad weaker.

"Lavender, huh? What'cha hiding, hm?"

"Just shut up already." _Truth is… I've just been following my yokai's orders. But now…_

Both of them glanced out at the army once more. Inuyasha felt a cold rock in her stomach.

 _I will protect my babies. And I'll prove to everyone that a hanyou can fight as hard as any yokai._

"Have you ever been in a fight like this before?"

She murmured, glancing at the wolf yokai and watching the cuts on his cheek heal slowly. He suddenly seemed to age right before her eyes: bags appeared under his eyes, and his gaze a hard steel blue she'd never seen before.

"Oh yea. Everyone's always trying to kill off my tribe. That's why we're nomadic- hard to pin down. Can't kill off someone who has hiding places just about everywhere."

She paused. It was the first time she'd really considered Koga and his life. He'd kept his tribe safe all this time.

"And… how do you deal with this?"

He looked over at her. Scratched an ear, thinking of proper wording. His ponytail gave a glint of red from the setting sun as he finally muttered, "Ain't about dealing with it pup. Only way outta it is all the way through. Day by day. Till either they're dead or you are."

Her ears went down just a bit and she nodded, her own expression getting hard as well.

"Sorry. If you wanted an inspirational speech you shoulda gotten one from Sesshomaru."

She shook her head after a moment, and her eyes glinted like stones. " No, this is what I needed to hear." She took a few halfhearted bites of the bread, but it tasted like sand in her mouth. She just wanted to be down there already.

Her mind as clear and sharp as the sword in her hand as she dragged it through one body after another.

The clarity that came with fighting was something that she and perhaps, every yokai shared. Inuyasha folded the food back up and tucked it safely away deep in the red robes. It'd be good to keep food on her during the battle: she had absolutely no idea how long she'd be down there.

She and Inuyasha both paused, sniffed.

Ears giving a flick.

Sesshomaru landed as quietly as a cat between them, noting the smell of human food on Inuyasha's form. He gave Koga the slightest of nod of approval. The wind picked up his hair and lifted it from his shoulders in a glittering wave of moonlight. The wolf smirked, tail giving a low wag of appreciation at getting acknowledgement from the alpha.

Inuyasha watched the exchange with nervous fascination. The dog and the wolf… they scarcely needed words. Words were unnecessary, a waste of breath. Now that Koga knew his role the moment he entered Sesshomaru's territory the two were comfortable in each other's company.

Sesshomaru's eyes flicked down to the wolf-tribe masses, gathered at the very front gate. Then, back up at Koga. Eyebrows lifting just a little.

 _Ah. Want some alone time with your new mate eh?_

Koga thought, gave a chuckle and gave little salute; two fingers off his left temple.

"Bye bye puppy. See if you can keep up with my body count, yeah?" before running down the side of the red wall and bouncing off. His pack greeting him with happy barks and the occasional low howl.

"How come he's the first one outta the gate? It doesn't make much sense." Inuyasha murmured, looking at the order of who was going first. Koga's forces, then the tigers. And finally, Sesshomaru's and the rat tribe forces bringing up the end.

"It will. Trust me." Sesshomaru assured. His nose wrinkling with anger and disgust at the enormous crowd below them. He had to admit, he did not expect forces of this size. They were already releasing clouds of toxic miasma; the blanket of grass and wildflowers that grew beyond the walls were wilting.

" Cant you just… you know. Yell at them to all go home?" Inuyasha joked as she got to her feet. And though her voice was confident the nervousness was obvious in the way her ears trembled, half-laid back in her hair.

"My voice cannot reach so many, of differing mental strength. I am, unfortunately, not omnipotent." Sesshomaru said mildly, his hand playing with the handle of Bakusaiga as his eyes swept over the crowd. He looked again at her, and his expression softened.

Never had Inuyasha faced something like this. Not even in the battle with Naraku- for powerful as he was, he was still one hanyou.

"Courage, Inuyasha. Courage for our family." He whispered, and she felt the warmness of his hand on the back of her neck. The smooth curve of his claws. It was a blessing: so warm, so comforting.

It smashed all her fear and indecisiveness with a single deadly embrace.

 _Sesshomaru._

She felt a tense sigh she didn't even know she was holding in leave her. When she was with him, she always had an innate feeling of him all around her… surrounded by something impossibly powerful and titanic. Ancient and terrible.

"Hold still a moment."

She blinked in surprise when she heard cloth tearing, then felt something being tied over her mouth and nose. A strip off Sesshomaru's sleeve to help protect her nose from the miasma.

"Don't you need one too?"

Sesshomaru snorted, shaking his head. _Not yet._ He paused and after a moment added,

 _Stay close to my side, Inuyasha._ His words were a low cool river in her mind. _We must protect each other._

The fact he'd worded it as them protecting each other, rather than _him_ protecting _her_ , was something she appreciated. It was quite the concession on his part to even imply he'd need protecting.

Even if deep down she knew it was a lie.

He didn't need her protection. That'd be a cold day in Hell.

 _Got it._

She unsheathed Tetsaiga and the fang glimmered terribly in the low light. A curve meant to rend flesh- in its former life, and in this one.

"Let's fuck these bastards up." She whispered. And her voice was as hard as the metal in her hand. Below, a dragon yokai on horseback lifted a hand in a closed fist. The forces came to a halt about ten feet from the barrier; horses neighing and pawing the ground. These were miasma-bred; resistant to the terrible fumes they were filling the valley with. Their hides were many strange shades of red and purple.

On every breastplate was branded the red claws of Ryuu, the Dragon Lord.

Sesshomaru touched bases briefly with Diaozuan. He was facing a similar army, at exactly the same time.

The only difference being that Ryuu was within Diaozuan's sight. For now, they had decided to play Ryuu's game- Diaozuan was to stay in the fox kingdom, and Sesshomaru was to stay at the Palace. Only if things started going sour would Diaozuan return to the Foo-Dog Palace.

 _Good luck, my beautiful one._

 _And you, Diaozuan. Do not dare to fail me. You, Inuyasha- you both must live._ Sesshomaru whispered to his mate. So far away and facing the same sight. Yet he could feel the fox's presence burning right by his side.

Suddenly Inuyasha felt a strong wind. She looked up in surprise to see Sesshomaru's Foo-Dog form. Her entire body in the shadow of his left leg. Eyes great red pools, and inside each- those second pools of bright blue. He was so large that his paws had to be placed almost one in front of the other to fit atop the walkway of the Palace walls.

The wind rustled his silvery-white fur. The imprint of an invisible hand caressing his mane.

For a moment, there was a strange silence.

Then Sesshomaru's jaw opened. Upper and lower canines connected by strings of deadly shimmery saliva, and god, so many teeth. Pink tongue coiling like an angered snake.

And the sound that came from him was one Inuyasha would never forget.

It started as a low, proper howl: one that broke out the gooseflesh along Inuyasha's arms and the back of her neck. But it quickly grew in intensity and loudness until it seemed to shake the entire world.

Inuyasha felt it in the soles of her feet, her ribcage. Her heart began to painfully pound- panicked as a bird in a cage, driven simply by the pitch and intensity of the noise to know that the big, bad thing was coming and that she should be _frightened_ , terribly so-

And ended in a terrible gristle-filled scream that left Inuyasha panting and in a cold sweat. When she looked down she could see the whites in nearly every soldier's eyes. A few had even stopped dead in their tracks, faces numb with horror. Many were straining at the reins as their horses stomped and reared in terror. A few riders were thrown into the dirt.

And then, the Golden Phoenix gate opened, its chains rattling lowly as it dropped the bridge over the moat.

Koga's forces came out, almost all of them in their wolf forms. They were running in that energy-conserving lope that all canines had. Most were brown or grey but Koga was obvious with his jet-black pelt. Their paws ripped long shavings in the wood with their claws. And all of the sudden Inuyasha understood why- about a half-second before it happened.

Sesshomaru transformed back, and started down the wall. Inuyasha quickly followed and together -

They leapt down right in front of the wolves.

And struck the first blow as one.

"Bakusaiga!"

"Wind Scar!"

The battle- known later as War of Pandemonium, began.

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EatEmUp: Yeah, sorry about that xd But don't worry, I have it all figured out and I think you'll like it. Well, at least I hope you do. That's' the best any author can hope for lol

No Fan of Kikyo- Of course Sesshomaru is big into her ! She's his mate now, though she may not be quite used to that yet haha~ And no, I'm trying to make sure that Sesshomaru isn't too OP. That just makes him boring and that's not what I'm going for. Anyways, hope that you liked the new chapter !


	14. Chapter 14

Initially, the battle went well.

Inuyasha understood almost immediately why Sesshomaru had chosen to place Koga's wolves at the front; they immediately caused the horses to fall into a panic. Though initially going after mounted soldiers was harder, by the time the wolves swept through a lot of the dragon tribe soldiers had decided to let their mounts go in favor of not being thrown off.

Already, the corpse flower was becoming useful to Inuyasha- swaths of those strange flowers bloomed, clearing the air and helping their forces against the dragon yokai who were all masked.

Of course they weren't invulnerable to swords and the stomping horses, but it began to create gaps in the otherwise heavy miasma. It was through these gaps that the Foo-Dogs would begin to see the truth.

Inuyasha attacked in her usual pattern-less style, while Sesshomaru attacked in sync with the wolf, rat, and tiger forces. Indeed; both Foo-Dogs weren't used to fighting with others at their side. Sesshomaru was finding it irritating that he couldn't use some of his larger attacks, unless he also planned on wiping out half his men. But he was sure that that wouldn't be a problem for too much longer.

Almost immediately though, something seemed off. Initially Sesshomaru was not sure what, as the miasma was also messing with his senses. But the reaction times, scents, and overall look of some of the soldiers seemed… off somehow.

He wasn't sure if his senses were just tricking him so he ignored the twinge of intuition, for now. In favor of racking up the body count. Already, the ground all around the walls of the Palace were churned up thanks to the horse's hooves.

In the pools they'd made, blood, purple miasma and of course, bodies were already beginning to pile up.

The air stung his skin as Bakusaiga's light ripped through the air over and over- smaller, more precise attacks needed for this moment in time. When fitting, he switched to the poison whip- and woe to anyone who was on the receiving end of that glittering green arc.

Towards the late afternoon Sesshomaru had a sudden realization as he leapt at one of the dragon soldiers who gave him that unsettling feeling. He tore through the man's chest with one hand , ignoring the pained "Auuuugh!" and shoving his horse into the nearest wolf's mouth with a kick.

Pulling out the dragon's heart, he sniffed it carefully as the last few beats of it pulsed rivers of red down his pretty white sleeves. Sesshomaru tsked in irritation, still sniffing. This was one reason he didn't love war… such a mess in every aspect. Unlike most Daiyokai of his kind he actually didn't relish the gore of it. Nor did he relish the psychological pain associated with it. Nevertheless it was absolutely necessary in this case.

He would show the dragons a lesson they would never forget. He continued to sniff.

No, this wasn't the source of the smell.

As the wolf trotted away he dug through the gore, elbow- deep in a pile of pink and maroon entrails that glistened wetly in the soft light. Parrying as someone tried to attack him from behind, and ignoring the tickly feeling coming from his nose.

He was starting to bleed from the nose thanks to the thick miasma.

 _Inuyasha must not be faring better. I will have to assist her._

He thought. But first to business.

Finally he found what he'd suspected… yet simultaneously dreaded. Deep inside the man, tucked away carefully behind the flexible bag of his stomach was a small wooden stick- thick as a finger, wrapped in dragon hairs and blood.

The moment he pulled it free the man's body seemed to shudder. The flesh turning a sickening brown, then shedding out into the ground into a pile of loosely-packed dirt.

 _Puppets._

He thought with disdain and threw is aside angrily. That explained their sheer numbers- a great many of them were these puppets, driven only by the fake mass of hairs and blood deeply embedded inside dirt bodies. The same was probably true of the horses as well- but the men were far more of a bother than their steeds… and besides, Koga was making quite some progress on them.

Sesshomaru whirled, decapitating the dragon yokai behind him who had been interrupting his thoughts. A quick splash of blood whipped into the air, a single stripe of it decorating the bridge of Sesshomaru's perfect nose.

He snarled and grabbed the reins of a horse closest to him.

Then, in one smooth movement, drove both heels into the side of the rider on the animal, pulling himself atop. One foot was resting at the horn of the saddle- the other, firmly in the seat.

 _Inuyasha._

He felt her mind close by as he scanned the crowd. A sense of relief flooding him when he saw the familiar flash of a red hakama and Inuyasha's irritated:

 _What, Sesshomaru! I'm a little busy!_

This few extra feet gained him the height he needed to find Inuyasha- and he darted off. Dodging and decapitating as he went, shouts of pain showing his path.

 _A great many of the soldiers are puppets. They are covering this with the miasma. We must find the sources of the miasma and destroy them._

Inuyasha was surprised to say the least when Sesshomaru materialized in front of her. Very much too close for comfort.

"Sesshomaru!" She barked in surprise and backed up. Dodging and swooping upwards again, her sword clanging against a dragon's smaller rapier as she shoved him away.

The Daiyokai snarled in irritation: so many, and so close to Inuyasha.

So close to **_his_** mate.

It was absolutely unacceptable.

All Inuyasha really caught was a slight flick of his wrist, and a green glow. An of course, that evil sound in the air; something like a ringing, but sharper. It made her silver ears slick to the sides of her head.

A great many of the yokai who had been giving Inuyasha trouble seemed to… disassemble. Inuyasha made a face and pressed the mask tighter over her nose in an attempt to protect her from the smell. But as Sesshomaru had suspected he could already see signs of the miasma's effect on her.

Not only was her face mask stained with a blot of blood ( her blood, he could smell it) but thin, wispy purple veins were starting to show on her neck and near her temples. Her skin was also starting to turn that fetid, greasy white of miasma- poisoning.

Without warning he grabbed her collar and yanked her into a rather passionate kiss.

 _Sesshomaru, what in seven hells-?!_

Inuyasha roared at him, struggling and pushing at his chest -and then pausing just for a moment. Something was happening. She was beginning to feel-

Much better. Her headache was clearing. Her muscles no longer felt fatigued.

And as he pulled away she looked at his face in shock. Now he was the one with those little purple veins, his usually perfect complexion smeared and unusually pale. Sesshomaru made a face, converting the miasma into a liquid in his mouth and then spitting it onto the ground in disgust. It splattered onto a shield and dripped downwards in a spot of purplish-black.

"Filthy dragon tricks." He wiped his mouth with a ruined sleeve and heard Inuyasha mutter faintly under her breath, "Thanks."

As more soldiers moved towards them they spoke in each other's minds, as it was much faster.

 _How do we find the source of the miasma?_

Sesshomaru looked around, eyes narrowed. _They must have hidden it in their ranks. Look for out of the ordinary objects on the soldiers- boxes and the like. It may even be in the towers._

Inuyasha nodded, then huffed when Sesshomaru added,

 _Do not let yourself be so poisoned by the miasma. It will take you down faster than you realize._

 _Yeah, yeah. I made a mistake. I'll stay closer to where all the flowers are, all right?_ She huffed, giving him a little wave with her sword before darting off again through the crowd. He watched her go before disappearing with a sense of worry in his gut. It wasn't even the end of the first day and to have the miasma already sapping her of her strength…

It was odd.

They'd both been training so hard it was surprising to him to see her so affected. After all, she'd survived his miasma, and his was far more potent.

It was as if something else was sapping her strength.

As if….

He shook his head and swung Bakusaiga, and the rippling crackle of its power ripped across the hoard of yokai. The very air itself seemed changed and he could feel the static electricity pulling at his clothes and tinging the hair on the nape of his neck.

It was going to be a long night.

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At The Fox Tribe Palace

Diaozuan was quite busy. Between taking care of the kits and helping his father with advice on the war, he'd scarcely had time to sleep. Luckily for him and other Daiyokai like him, sleep and other bodily needs could be put aside as needed much longer than a humans before there were any lasting consequences.

" We need you out there, Diaozuan. I know I originally said for you to stay here, but I'm sure the pups will be well- taken care of." His father said, and he could see the sincerely in his bright purple eyes. Diaozuan wilted , just a little.

Sesshomaru's precious kits giving little mewls and purrs in his arms, rolling and kneading at his clothes with tiny claws. He didn't know why, but he'd never warmed to the nurse that had been picked to take care of his kits. It had happened right after he'd brought them home, an incident so small he hadn't mentioned it at first.

When he'd walked in on her leaning on the crib when he'd first brought the kits home.

There had been a moment- just a moment- where he'd observed her without her being aware of his presence.

As he'd watched her, her eyes had seemed vacant. But not in the thoughtful or wandering way. No- they'd been the vacancy of the ocean after swallowing a ship of innocent people, the vacancy of an open grave filled with mist.

A vacancy of spirit. A detachment and coldness he hadn't seen before or since.

But the fact that the gaze had been directed at his babies filled him with dread. He'd told his father of course, but by the next morning even he began to doubt himself. After all, she had been with them for years and was so friendly. So welcoming. Perhaps he'd just been tired? A hallucination of a paranoid new parent?

"You know how I feel about her." Diaozuan said quietly, his tail flicking on the ground in irritation and curling over each other in anxiety. Sadao sighed and set a hand on his son's shoulder, "I do. But we can get another to take care of them if it bothers you so much." He felt that large warm hand tighten on his bicep.

"I need you , son. And the tribe needs you. They need to see their new leader fighting and defending our lands."

Diaozuan sighed. Switching to a different caregiver wouldn't solve the feeling. The fact of the matter was he didn't want them with anyone else, because that meant she could have access to them without Diaozuan or Sadao being present. He didn't want that.

His gaze drifted to the window. Outside, he could see the dragon's forces just outside the glittering bubble of their barrier. And the wretched dragon himself- a writhing silver and black mass, belching fire and screeching.

Ryuu.

They hadn't expected him to make an appearance, at least not so soon. It was causing them quite some trouble.

"Tomorrow." Diaozuan finally promised with a heavy feeling in his chest. "Come morning light if nothing has turned for the better. I will be with you tomorrow." Their gazes met and Sadao gave a slow nod before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

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The War of Pandemonium, Day 2

As a grey dawn broke over the horizon, Koga's forces retreated behind the barrier. He was given permission to do so by a nod from Sesshomaru- and what was left of his wolves ran gratefully back behind the wall that protected them from the onslaught. Koga had lost many soldiers, and most were wounded and needed medical attention.

In Sesshomaru's opinion, he had more than repaid his debt for his previous transgressions.

The wolf had earned a break. Earned the right to retreat as he so chose.

Dishonorable? Perhaps. But Koga cared not if his actions were construed as honorable or not. All that mattered was that he got approval from Sesshomaru the alpha.

Nothing else mattered.

Behind the wall, nurses gathered, setting up temporary beds in the small farmhouses nearby in order to treat the wolves who returned to their human forms.

Other soon flooded in as well- tigers, rats, and of course the occasional Foo-Dog soldier, sometimes dragged by a friend.

Pinpointing the sources of the miasma had been more difficult than previously imagined, much to Sesshomaru's chagrin. Additionally, the constant barrage of spear and arrows was starting to take an effect on the barrier. Tiny, minute cracks were starting to appear.

While the barrier was fueled by demonic energy and magic, it was not immune to an attack of this scale. The combination of arrows, spears, and choking miasma was taking its toll. Dumb, wild yokai never attacked in these numbers- that was why the barrier was effective against them Well, them and any other yokai who attempted to enter the Palace with ill will in their hearts.

Despite his best efforts an arrow of fear had lodged itself somewhere just under his ribs. Sesshomaru remembered Toshi's words, and he knew that he absolutely must get this situation under control before Ryuu arrived.

 _The silver dragon will come by midnight on the third day._

Well three guesses who the silver dragon was. He remembered Ryuu's appearance and the glint of his silver scales with all too much accuracy. After all he was the one who had threatened Inukezi's safety. That sort of event was not so easily forgotten or forgiven by the Lord of the West.

It was actually Inuyasha who discovered where the source of the miasma was.

Unlike most demonic miasma, which was sloughed naturally from the breath of higher-level Daiyokai, this was an artificial brew created from a combination of several crushed herbs.

"Ugh!" Inuyasha yanked her sword from the man's form, wiping it on her thigh with a disgusted expression. She hated fighting close-quarters; it meant she couldn't use her larger attacks, for Sesshomaru's men, as well as the tigers and rats were always near. And she was pretty sure they wouldn't appreciate friendly fire from the Tetsaiga. As she did so though, she noted a strange burst of miasma and her yellow eyes widened.

By now, none of them were looking too pretty. Inuyasha's normally clean skin was scored with a mix of blood, sweat, and dirt, as was nearly everyone else's on the field who still stood. She was more grateful than ever that the pups were inside the castle…

She did not want them seeing what lay outside the walls. What wars really looked like. Let them dream of the honor and glory and not of standing ankle-deep in a mix of blood, mud and shit.

She turned over the body with the metal edge, looking for where the burst had come from. His leather rations pockets were fake: instead, there were tiny boxes filled with that god-awful powder. Inuyasha chopped the belt off of his form, holding her sword up to parry a dragon yokai as she sniffed at the packets. The 'leather' was actually dyed gauze- breathable. So that every time the yokai moved, the miasma would leak forth into the air.

This… complicated things.

She turned to face her opponent, cleaving him in half with a scream of anger.

 _Sesshomaru. The miasma's coming from their damn ration's belts. I think each one of 'em might have the miasma powder._

Across the filed Inuyasha heard the merciless crackle of Bakusaiga, and green light filled the air for a moment. Sesshomaru was lucky enough to have found a pocket of only enemies and was going to use that to his full advantage.

 _Thank you Inuyasha._

He shot back at the other Foo-Dog. But in reality his mind was racing. Why in the seven hells would Ryuu take all the time to measure out that powder to each soldier and puppet? That must have taken an obscene amount of preparation time and was a huge-

Sesshomaru paused, just for a moment. Bloody mist lingering in the air and collecting in his silver hair as Bakusaiga finished off soldier and puppet indiscriminately.

 _A huge waste of time._

 _Ryuu is wasting our time._

That had been his plan all along. Why he'd never shown up for these last two days. Why now, Inuyasha and the rest would have to waste time getting rid of this miasma in order to locate the puppets.

He was keeping them busy as the barrier got weaker and weaker. That way when he finally arrived Inuyasha and Sesshomaru would already be thoroughly exhausted mentally and physically.

 _Speaking of Inuyasha_. He thought, making his way over to her once more. Despite staying in the flowers her sword created, she still needed to be drained of the miasma several times during the day.

And though he did his best to hide the symptoms, the process of drawing it from her into himself, liquifying it, and expelling it was not.. entirely without consequences to his own health. A headache was forming around his temples. Spiking incredible shards of pain into his skull if he happened to snap his head to one side or the other too quickly. His blood was starting to feel unusually sluggish, and his skin was starting to have that unhealthy greasy sheen that came with the beginning of miasma poisoning.

But better him than her.

Neither of them were strangers to pushing themselves beyond their limits. He would merely have to pay the consequences later. Paying it forward so to speak. Sesshomaru ran into one of his own soldiers on the way back and said in a low voice,

"Move the barrier back about six feet. We cannot have it taking the brunt of the arrows anymore. Let the wall take some of the burden."

"Of course, Lord Sesshomaru." He said, his voice high and laced with fear as he stumbled off.

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" I can't stand it anymore. I'm just going to take a quick peek." Inukezi said, getting to his feet. The other pups looked at him with uncertainty.

" We're not supposed to go anywhere near the wall until it's over, Inukezi. That's what mom and Sess said." Ame murmured quietly, her silver tail giving little nervous twitches. It was nice to be able to call Inuyasha 'mom' and though it initially started as teasing, it was sort of the default now. Much to Inuyasha's annoyance.

"Look , I'll be inside the barrier. Nothing's going to happen. I just wanna make sure everyone's okay. And then I'll come right back, I promise." He assured them but heart the slight waver in his own voice. Maybe he was trying to reassure himself as much as them. But that didn't matter. He needed to see. He needed to know what was going on, damn it !

He needed to know that they were doing okay. That they were winning or at least holding their own.

Toshi said, " If you go near the wall, you'll die."

And at first it was such an even statement they all laughed nervously, assuming he was joking.

But when he looked into the kit's jeweled purple eyes he felt fear bubbling in the pit of his stomach. Toshi's eyes seemed unfocused and dazed, as if not looking at him but through him, and his expression was certainly not that of joking. He looked deadly serious. Pleading even. His eyes seemed to snap back into focus and he added, " Don't. Don't go Inukezi. I saw it in a dream. Please don't go. I know the anticipation is awful and believe me, we're all itching to go look but… please don't."

He got up out of his chair and gently grabbed the taller boy's hand. His small claws matching Inukezi's as he gave it a squeeze. The other pups looked uncertain now as well, uncomfortable and stirring in their seats.

And for a moment Inukezi hesitated. After all, all of them knew of Toshi's strange little gift by now- it wasn't something he'd been able to hide from them for very long.

"Look, I'll take a guard with me all right? I'll be perfectly fine."

Rin stood. " If you're going, then I'm coming with you." She glanced over to Toshi. " I mean, you didn't see anything like that with me, right? So maybe if I go with you, it'll be like extra protection. You know… ward off whatever you did see."

Katsu rolled his eyes, " What kinda effed up logic is that? If Toshi sees it, it comes true. Duh. Don't be an idiot Inukezi, just sit with us a little while longer."

Toshi felt Inukezi squeeze his hand in return but gently let the hand drop. "It doesn't work like that." He said, his voice quiet and low. He tried once more, going for the sleeve this time.

"Stay. _Please_." He whispered, meeting Inukezi's eyes. Inukezi faltered once more but then seemed to double down on his own resolve. He ruffled Toshi's black hair gently and assured him, " I'll be right back. And I'll prove to you that those visions aren't right all the time. Okay?"

Toshi's ears slicked back in a rush of irritation and anger. Inukezi didn't believe him. He was being treated like a child. One who feared things that were made-up. One that saw threats where none existed. He pushed the boy's hand away and went to the corner, curling up against the side of the bookshelf and not saying a single word more.

Katsu felt Toshi's anger and it seemed to bubble over in the hot-tempered pup. " Fine. Go! See if we care, bastard. Toshi didn't have to tell you anything! He could've just let you go."

Inukezi rolled his eyes, "Whatever Katsu." And watched both the pup and kit with a strange sensation in his chest. Maybe he was making the wrong decision… but when he looked at Rin and felt the warmth of her hand, he thought maybe it'd be all right.

After all, they had Sesshomaru's guard with them. The scary horse-one with hands like stones.

Nothing could hurt them.

Ame went to Toshi's side when Inukezi and Rin left, sitting down close enough so that their thighs were gently touching. He gave a low growl and she didn't respond, only wrapping her soft warm tail around his waist. After a moment or two he started petting the fur absent-mindely with a few of his claws and his shoulders drooped just a bit. Yet when she got closer, Ame could see the shine of a tear on his cheek.

"I wouldn't… I wouldn't lie, I wouldn't… I wouldn't make up something like that." He hiccupped, and Ame scooted closer. Katsu slipped away from the table as well, wanting to give his brother comfort.

"We know, Toshi. And we believe you." Ame assured him as he wiped a few tears away, his eyes red and narrowed with anger. And the two Foo-Dogs quietly comforted Toshi as Inukezi made his way towards the wall.

It was a bit of a walk- the inner city and outer city were pretty large after all. And there were only about 4 sets of stairs that led to the outer wall, so most of the walk was just through the inner city. Most of the walk was in silence, Inukezi's stomach twisting slightly for some reason. Toshi had visions all the time didn't he? Surely not all of them were right. I mean, that just wasn't fair. Getting a sneak preview before everyone else.

Rin looked as beautiful as ever; her hair was all done up in pins and her brown eyes glittered in the evening light like honey.

He was going to finally tell her.

He was going to tell her exactly how he felt about her.

As they began to ascend up the staircase, he began, " So um, there was something that I wanted to tell you. Originally I was gonna kinda wait, especially with all this crazy stuff going on but-"

He paused in embarrassment when he was stopped by the guard, who was giving him a look. He'd accidentally been wandering off ahead. He took a few steps back, letting the guard to first and looking around the top of the wall.

Once the guard assessed at as safe, he gave them a little wave.

But when they actually got to the top of the wall and could see what was going on… they both immediately wished they'd stayed inside.

It was like looking into hell.

A mass of bloody people screaming and stabbing and horses shrieking in pain and the flash of electric magic and… God, it was awful. It smelled like a thousand rotting corpses. Though it was evening the stink of it rose well above the walls in heavy gusts. To the left, Inukezi thought he saw the familiar yellow glow of the wind scar ripping across in its five golden arcs but he couldn't be certain.

His words faltered in his throat. This hadn't been at all like he imagined. Somehow he'd been thinking of organized lines and good clean deaths and … well, things old tales had told him of war. He couldn't think of anything less romantic than this.

He tiptoed a few feet closer to the edge than Rin, wanting to see it all.

It was then that the barrier contracted about six feet.

At first neither of them really realized what was happening. Only that the glittery wall was coming much closer to them at an alarming rate.

Rin watched as the great protective arc went past Inukezi's feet and then something hit him, square in the chest.

"Inukezi!"

An especially skilled marksman had found his target. Inukezi looked at Rin with surprise and terror, the force of the arrow sliding him a few feet backwards as his heart-blood was torn from his body at the tip of the arrow.

A beautiful splash of dark-red decorating his shirt and the bricks below his feet.

The same place his father Inuyasha had been struck by Kikyo all those years ago.

Rin did not hear the guard move, the tinkling of his armor as he saved her from the same fate. She only reached for Inukezi, sure that she could save him, sure that this was something that could be fixed, Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, oh god anyone **_please_** -

"I love you." His voice was garbled as blood bubbled in his throat.

Her hand fumbled on his as he tumbled backward.

Sliding out.

Inukezi tumbled backward and off of the wall, and he was dead before he hit the ground.

And far off in the heat of battle Inuyasha paused.

Feeling as if something was wrong.  
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Smiles- I was thinking of that, but I haven't quite settled on it yet xD

Kibou32- Yes sorry about the delay. A lot of things have been going on in my personal life( my boyfriend got evicted, my parents moved, etc) so I haven't been feeling super inspired. But I'm going to continue to do my best to get this fic Done!

EatEmUp- Well, eheh. Lets just say I hope you're gonna be happy with what I have planned xD See you soon~


	15. Chapter 15

The Fox Tribe Palace Day 2

In the early golden dawn, Diaozuan laid the two kits down for a nap. The white female Aki stretched a bit before settling close to its brother. That black male's tail wrapped securely around its sister, keeping the white one warm. Daiki's iridescent markings shone in the light.

Diaozuan petted them almost absent-mindedly for some time. Enjoying the silence of the cool dawn and ignoring the many flaming plumes from the window that showed just how much destruction had already occurred. He would be down there soon enough.

For now he could enjoy the few carnal things. The feeling of the silken fur under his claws. The sounds of his kit's short, slow breathing as their ribs rose and fell. The way the light bounced off Daiki's markings in a hundred different ways, giving his stripes shades of green , purple, and blue depending on how his cheek moved.

Diaozuan blinked, his eyes squinting a bit as he looked outside.

Wait a minute.

Where was-?

Almost as soon as the thought occurred to him, he heard a tremendous roar and went to the window.

Somehow, inexplicably, the barrier had disappeared. There was no faint purple glitter to the air.

Immediately, an arrow embedded itself about five feet from his head into the rocky surface. Shards of the purple-blue rock that the Palace was built from shattered and fell to the ground. Diaozuan shut the windows, pulling closed the shutters and scooping up the kits.

"Chihiro." He pulled their female guard aside, handing her the pup and kit very gently, who were whining and mewling. Not liking that they were being jostled so much.

"Take Aki and Daiki somewhere safe. And whatever you do, do not let Hibiki near them, no matter what father says. I do not trust her." He said, his purple eyes blazing with fire as he met her gaze. She nodded, one arm covering the kits.

"I will defend them with my life my lord. I swear." She whispered, giving him a low nod. He hesitated for a moment, dread in his belly. He was torn between the allegiance he owed to the battlefield and the desire to stay with the kits. There were many thoughts racing through his mind. How in the hell had their barrier failed? The yokai controlling the barrier were deep inside the Palace, safe and sound.

But then again… if Ryuu managed to siege the castle successfully, it wouldn't matter if he stayed with the kits or not. They would be crushed along with everything else.

He disappeared in a burst of black and purple flame.

Once on the battlefield, it became apparent what the problem was. With the barrier down, Ryuu and his other second-in-commands were busy using their firepower to melt everything in their path. There were a great many of them, enough to make Diaozuan nervous- their great long necks swayed as their heads moved back and forth, belching out many different colors of terrible flames.

Sadao as well as his other fox yokai were doing their best to hold their own, but fire against fire had never exactly been their strength.

"Father!" Diaozuan called, quickly taking on his fox demon form and joining the ranks. He grabbed the snout of the black dragon nearest to him, holding it tightly shut as Sadao and a few of his mates quickly disemboweled the shrieking dragon.

It was so unbelievably hot. Everywhere he placed his pawed feet, they burned from the fire of the dragons. The stone itself melting under his weight. Steaming and blurring his vision.

"Diaozuan! Go back!" Sadao said, yelping and dodging a pillar of yellow flames as it filled the area where he had just been standing. He grabbed the dragon by the throat, thrashing it about like a dog toy, only to yelp in pain as one of the other dragon's grabbed onto him in return.

Diaozuan snarled and bristled, " What? But-" biting the snout of the dragon that held his father.

It was clear father and the others needed help! Why-?

Sadao grunted and twisted. His mate, a beautiful grey fox jumped atop Sadao, scratching out the eye of the dragon who'd been holding him. It staggered back before she managed to get both eyes, and she managed to nudge herself and Sadao behind one of the walls as a second pillar of flame came billowing towards them. She panted,

"Diaozuan- we've been betrayed. The wolves are inside the walls, don't you understand! They shut down the barrier on purpose!"

He stood in numb shock for a half second before it really hit him.

 _Chihiro._

 _The pups._

He was gone. Running through the Palace, searching for Chihiro, following her scent, panicking when its pattern became strangely irregular and lead him off into a side storage room that was scarcely used.

From far beyond, he heard Sesshomaru's voice.

 _Diaozuan, what's wrong?_

He tried to slam the door open, but it was blocked halfway by something on the floor.

 _I-_

He paused, then blocked his mate out. He promised himself he'd only call Sesshomaru if it was necessary, and right now-.

A body.

A body was blocking the door.

Still warm and soft, a little give still in it as he shut the door with his heel and drew his sword in the darkness. He would make sure to give Chihiro a proper burial later. The blade slid out with a low hissing sound as he let his eyes adjust to the grey darkness.

She was crouched in a corner , and he could see the gleam of a small dagger.

He was on her in terrifying silence. Temporarily, Diaozuan forgot the concept of mercy- and from the outside, you could hear a brief scuffle and a few boxes being knocked around, spare scrolls and pots of ink smashing and rolling in their lazy circles.

And then a terrible pause once more as he caught her head in his hand . She was an owl yokai – very light-boned, silent. The preferred breed of yokai for assassins and traitors.

He met her yellow eyes before bringing her head against the stone wall of the room, over and over, until there was nothing left but a kind of mush in his right hand.

He let the body drop as his hand trembled.

From his belly, the dagger gleamed. He pulled it out with a pained grunt and sniffed the tip. Poison, of course.

He dropped it to the ground. Claws giving a little flex as he forced himself to calm down and walk over to the box where his kits were. Ignoring the scent of death on them, he carried them in his right arm as he went to find the rest of the traitors.

The barrier yokai were always kept in the most secure area of the Palace- down in a fake cellar that only Sadao and a few others knew about. He could hear them carrying on down there. It sounded like a grand old party.

He kicked the door open with one foot, setting the bundle gently aside for now.

What once had been a room of trusted friends and associates- foxes that he himself considered close to his own heart; had turned hostile. They'd even snuck in a few of their cat friends to celebrate the inevitable fall of the fox tribe.

Abruptly the room lapsed into uncomfortable silence. Clearly, they didn't think Sadao would be on to this- at least not this soon.

" Ari, do you remember what I told you about your friends, five years past? After being hired?" Diaozuan said calmly, running a hand over his sword. It became sheathed in beautiful purple flames, responding to the emotions of its master.

She swallowed, looking around at her friends. All of the sudden she didn't feel comfortable relaying the promise. The one she'd conveniently forgotten to tell to the others she'd managed to sneak in on her own recommendation.

Her friends and associated looked at her nervously. He set the tip of his blade at her neck, and she quickly sputtered, "You said, uh… That you were hiring us on faith. And if we ever betrayed that-"

Diaozuan snarled, his lip lifting and showing a wet canine that glistened. Pressing in the tip so that a trickle of blood leaked from her. She yelped in pain and he murmured impassively, "No editing please dear. I'm sure this crowd has heard worse."

She whimpered, " That if we ever fucked with you, you'd kill us all."

"That's right sweetheart." He said with a smile that did not reach his eyes. The cat yokai closest to him charged him with an angry yowl. Their swords clashed, and Diao pushed him backwards over the table with a foot, the oak splitting under the weight with a dull groan.

As several ran toward Diaozuan, the others trying to flee out the back door, they suddenly fell to their knees.

Grasping their chests in surprise and pain at the flicker that was beginning there.

Like… heartburn? No…

 _Foxfire._

The word did not escape his lips yet those around him, one by one, were bursting into beautiful purple flames. Diaozuan gathered up the bundle once more and settled comfortable in one of the chairs, gritting his teeth a bit in concentration. Yokai bodies weren't great kindling but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to make a bit of a spectacle.

If he wasn't going to make it very clear what happened to those who harmed him and his kin.

It was getting so hot in the room that the air itself was rather hazy. And if you looked closely, you could see tears dripping freely as he hadn't yet had the chance to mourn the dead kits in his right arm.

He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. Could he restore the barrier by himself? He certainly was going to try as long as Ryuu hadn't managed to get too close.

Outside, Ryuu could sense Diaozuan's terrible power.

And it made him afraid. That could not be tolerated.

Shoving the rest of the foxes aside, Ryuu managed to get past the main line. Spewing fire as he went and yelping as he was burned by foxfire. Searching for the source of that purple fire that had taken out his allies far too soon. He burst through the main hall, dug down through the basement with his claws.

Ripping out the ceiling of the basement area and roaring in anger when he found Diaozuan calmly sitting. The bodies of those allies he'd snuck in so carefully smouldering peacefully at his feet.

" ** _You_**."

Ryuu roared, showing rows and rows of silver teeth, streaked with the red blood of many foxes.

Diaozuan barely reacted- a pretty purple barrier glittering around him in a smooth ball. Bits of the ceiling and flecks of Ryuu's spit sliding off the sides.

He simply coughed and met Ryuu's gaze, frowning when he saw little flecks of his own blood in his palm. The poison was already starting to effect him.

The fox's reaction simultaneously made Ryuu furious but a tad uneasy at the same time. As he opened his jaw to spew flames he saw Diaozuan's hand lift.

He started to choke.

The cords that made the dragon's able to spew fire- the mixing of those two liquids. The fox was… messing with them.

Along Ryuu's neck, his scales started to discolor. The cords in his neck feeling hot and tight and the liquids inside starting to boil. Even as he tried to release flames, nothing but a tiny spark of flame came from his mouth. Yet his neck – Ryuu started to panic when he realized what the fox was doing.

Yet even as he fought the effect he saw a tiny window of opportunity. The fox's barrier flickered briefly. Ryuu leaned back, picking up a roman column of that purple-blue stone that the Palace was made of and slammed it down on top of Diaozuan. The force of it pushing his barrier deeper into the sub floor.

It took all the concentration Diaozuan had to keep the barrier stable enough to withstand the force.

With eye contact broken, Diaozuan's hold on the dragon wavered.

Ryuu quickly melted the rock to magma, the solid rock liquifying all around Diaozuan's purple barrier and trapping him deep underground. Then, he let it cool, fighting the other foxes that by now had caught up with him until the magma solidified. As it did, he felt a sense of relief.

It was the first time in the dragon's life that he feared **_for_** his life.

He turned around and threw himself back into the heat of battle. Soon, he'd be leaving most of his generals to take care of what was left of the Palace while he went to attack the Foo-Dog tribe.

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The Foo-Dog Palace, Day 2

As Sesshomaru blocked another blow, he was starting to panic.

Diaozuan was blocking him out, but it was pretty clear that something was happening at the fox tribe palace.

But as much as he pushed to get through Diaozuan's barriers, he couldn't quite get past enough to see. But he certainly could feel his mate's emotions: anger and terror and pain. Something terrible had happened- Diaozuan was still alive, he could still feel the fox's life essence through their bond, but.

Something was terribly wrong.

 _Inuyasha._

He called to her, via their connection. She was still very much alive, full of anger on the other side of the fight

 _What is it-_

He felt her tone soften when she sensed his panic. Heart racing, head aching with each pulse of his heart. She'd needed draining from the miasma about three times per day to keep her going and it was beginning to take a toll on Sesshomaru no matter how he tried to hide it.

 _It's Diaozuan. I must leave._

Sesshomaru insisted, his insides tying themselves into knots. He didn't want to , but something had happened, something terrible, something to do with the pups, and he couldn't just stay here.

 _Wait- That's probably exactly what Ryuu's planning. If you leave-._

Inuyasha hesitated grudgingly. Sesshomaru leaving would leave them all vulnerable. She added hastily-

 _Is he dying? What's going on?_

There was a frustrated growl from Sesshomaru. _No… but an incident occurred. I feel his terror and anger. I think the kits are – I don't know. There's something wrong. He won't let me in._

There was a tense pause from Inuyasha.

 _Sesshomaru- we can't do this without you. As long as you can sense Diaozuan and the kits are still alive, I – we need you here more._

The Daiyokai hissed, his sword going vertically right through one of the dragon soldiers, cutting him in half. He knew that Inuyasha was probably right- that if the 'silver dragon' was to come on the third day, he'd better well be there to meet him. But he was scared. Scared to lose Diaozuan, and worried for the kits. Though the fox was doing his best to keep him out he knew that whatever had happened had something to do with them.

Not to mention, angry that he was being drained of his strength. Forced to fight in this damn miasma. He could just draw the armies back as one of course, giving he and Inuyasha the opportunity to eradicate them all- but.

If he did that- he glanced up at the wall. The glittering golden barrier just behind it that protected the pups, the injured and weak, everyone in the Palace. Moving Sesshomaru's army back behind the wall and out of his way would take time. Just enough time for the dragon yokai to get those siege towers close to the wall and shatter the barrier… No, he couldn't risk it.

He, Inuyasha, and everyone else here were sitting ducks. No matter how quickly he and Inuyasha were thinning the miasma they were sitting ducks until Ryuu made his appearance. Once their leader was dead, the army and the puppets would disappear.

Sesshomaru took a deep breath, whirling to face another enemy as his father's words echoed in his head.

 _Take that fear and invert it. For what is the opposite of fear?_

A splash of royal blue blood decorated Sesshomaru's face, his teeth bared and his nose wrinkled in anger.

 _Courage, Sesshomaru. Courage for our family._

After a tense moment if indecision he sent Inuyasha a simple: _I will stay. For now._

Even as that white needle of fear settled in his chest. He would have to trust Diaozuan blindly- trust that he was blocking out his mate for a good reason. And pay close attention to the fox's vitals to make sure that he would be all right. Still, it did nothing to settle his nerves.

It was his job to be there for his mate.

And the fact he couldn't at the moment set the marking on his chest aflame with guilt and worry.

 _Please be safe. Please be all right, Diaozuan._

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Shippou watched the battle in horror. He'd arrived in time to see the preparation of battle. In fact, his little camp was just on the outskirts of the forest- he'd had to climb up into the trees to avoid getting caught by the dragon yokai. He was surprised they hadn't seen him… but then again even if they had, perhaps they didn't care.

After all, he was only one tiny fox yokai. What could he do against an army like this?

He couldn't help but feel the same way. He hadn't gotten to the Foo-Dog Palace in time. Initially he'd headed out towards the fox tribe- he knew Sesshomaru had a mate over there, and figured maybe if he played his cards right they'd let him stay. But when he saw the armies headed out that way, he headed the opposite direction. Only of course, to find armies here as well.

He helped when he could- he'd already taken out about twenty by himself thanks to a mix of illusions and tricks. Even so, he hadn't gotten anywhere near the wall… or Inuyasha and Sesshomaru for that matter. It was easy enough to figure out where they were at any given time- the arks of Inuyasha's Wind Scar and Bakusaiga were quite clear.

Something was wrong, though. Shippou hadn't seen the dragon leader yet. Sure, he'd seen generals, but he hadn't actually seen Ryuu himself.

It was a pretty dishonorable thing, sending out your warriors to fight without being there in the blood and muck with them. But then again, both armies he'd seen had been marked with the sign of the dragon. Perhaps he'd had to choose one over the other for some reason.

Quietly, Shippou nocked an arrow. Aimed. And shot.

 _Thunk._

Another dragon yokai fell to the ground, while his companion snarled and whirled, searching the trees. But Shippou was pretty good at hiding himself if he wanted to. His fur matched the bark of the trees almost perfectly. And he'd chosen dark greens for his kimono for a reason.

He stayed still, and quiet. The dragon yokai shot a few furious arrows near him, and he felt them thunk into the bark of the tree, but both were at least three feet off.

He stayed still and quiet, and prayed silently that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru would win. He would do everything he could to help them, but ultimately the fate of their tribe was up to them.

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EatEmUp: Thanks for the check in. Been having a writers block, but here's what I have so far.

Smiles: Thank you ! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Kibou32:Thank this chapter was so short but its all I have right now.


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